The given charts illustrate how the world’s water is distributed and how water is used in three different countries.
Overall, most of the world’s water is salt water, and only a very small amount is fresh water. Among fresh water, the largest share is stored in ice and glaciers, while surface water accounts for the least. In terms of usage, agriculture uses the most water in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, whereas industry is the main user in Canada.
Regarding the distribution of water, the vast majority of the world’s water is salt water, accounting for about 95%, while only a small proportion, around 5%, is fresh water. Within fresh water, most of it is stored in ice and glaciers at 75%, whereas groundwater makes up 23%. In contrast, surface water represents just a tiny amount at only 2%.
In terms of water use, agriculture is the main sector in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, accounting for 84% and 83% respectively, while domestic use is similar in both countries at 15%. Industry, however, uses a smaller share, at 8% in Egypt and 10% in Saudi Arabia. By contrast, Canada shows a different pattern, where industry dominates at 80%, whereas agriculture and domestic use are much lower at 9% and 10% respectively.