Swimming Is Not a Popular Pastime

While taking a dip in the sea or the pool is very popular during the summer months, Statista Consumer Insights data suggests that most people stay out of the water for most of the year. When asked which sports or outdoor activities they participate in, only around 1 in 10 respondents from a range of countries picked swimming or diving, with aquatic activities particularly unpopular in South Korea and Japan, where only 6 and 2 percent of respondents said they'd swim at least occasionally.

While great for keeping fit, swimming skills can save lives too. Such expertise is not a given and, according to the World Health Organization, less than a quarter of WHO member countries incorporate swimming and water training into national school curricula. Swimming and water safety are just one recommendation outlined by the WHO. Other community level recommendations include lifeguard services, freely available weather alerts, search and secure services, first-aider responders and community-based flood mitigation programmes. In terms of preventative legislation, the organization highlights how countries can also safeguard their populations, for example, through mandating lifejacket use and introducing laws on swimming pool fencing and on alcohol consumption and/or sales near public waterbodies.