The article reports on the state of renewable water availability, which entails the yearly replenished amount of fresh water in rivers and aquifers due to precipitation. Over the last decade, renewable water availability per person has dropped by seven percent, decreasing from 5,719 to 5,326 cubic meters (m3), as per the AQUASTAT 2025 water data overview. Regions such as North Africa, South Asia, and West Asia have the lowest freshwater resources per capita, with Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, and Yemen among the nations with the least total renewable water.
Several areas have experienced a rise in freshwater withdrawals, further straining stressed river basins and aquifers. North Africa recorded the highest increase, with withdrawals up by 16 percent. Globally, nearly 70 percent of withdrawals were from surface water sources, while 23 percent came from groundwater.
Agriculture remains the largest consumer of water, constituting about 72 percent of global freshwater withdrawals, followed by the industrial and service sectors at 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively. In 66 countries, over 75 percent of total freshwater withdrawal is allocated to agriculture, with Afghanistan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mali, Nepal, Somalia, and Sudan using 95 percent.
The report details regional changes in water availability and demand. North Africa, whose fresh water per capita is among the world’s lowest, saw a 16 percent rise in withdrawals over 10 years. In West Asia, rapid population growth and agricultural demands intensify pressures on scarce resources.
Significant disparities exist in irrigation and water use efficiency across croplands. In parts of Latin America and Asia, irrigation supports substantial agricultural output, while in sub-Saharan Africa, irrigated cropland is minimal, indicating persistent water infrastructure gaps. Nationally, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Suriname, and Uzbekistan have the highest irrigation coverage, with over 90 percent of their agricultural land equipped. Conversely, about 35 countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, have less than 1 percent of irrigated cropland.
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