The pie charts illustrate the proportion of water consumption for agricultural, industrial, and domestic purposes across six different regions of the world.
Overall, it is clear that agriculture is the dominant consumer of water in most regions, particularly in Africa, Central Asia, and South East Asia. In contrast, industrial use accounts for the largest share in Europe and North America. Domestic consumption, however, remains the smallest proportion in all areas.
Looking first at regions such as Africa, Central Asia, and South East Asia, water is used predominantly for agricultural purposes, accounting for 84%, 88%, and 81% respectively. Industrial use in these areas is minimal, at just 7% in Africa, 5% in Central Asia, and 12% in South East Asia. Similarly, domestic usage is relatively low, representing only 9%, 7%, and 7% in the same regions.
By contrast, Europe and North America show a different pattern, where industrial water use is the largest category. In Europe, 53% of water is used for industry, followed by agriculture at 32% and domestic use at 15%. A similar trend is seen in North America, where industry accounts for 48%, compared to 39% for agriculture and 13% for domestic purposes. South America, however, presents a mixed pattern, with agriculture still dominating at 71%, while industrial and domestic uses make up 10% and 19% respectively.