Over a quarter of the world's population faces extremely high levels of baseline water stress due to irrigated agriculture, industry, and municipal withdrawals on the available water supply. Many countries with the highest risk of water stress are in the Middle East, such as Kuwait and Qatar, which both had water stress scores of five out of a possible five in 2020. Singapore is also one of the most water stressed countries in the world due to a lack of natural water resources, and has long relied on supplies from neighboring Malaysia. However, in a bid to become water independent, Singapore has developed an advanced system that turns sewage into clean, drinkable water that can meet 40 percent of demand.
Baseline water stress score worldwide in 2020, by select country*
* Baseline water stress measures the ratio of total water withdrawals to available renewable water supplies. Water withdrawals include domestic, industrial, irrigation and livestock consumptive and non-consumptive uses. Available renewable water supplies include surface and groundwater supplies and considers the impact of upstream consumptive water users and large dams on downstream water availability. Higher values indicate more competition among users.
Scores are on the scale from 0 to 5. The higher the score, the greater the exposure to water stress.
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IEP. (September 10, 2020). Baseline water stress score worldwide in 2020, by select country* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 22, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097524/water-stress-levels-by-country/
IEP. "Baseline water stress score worldwide in 2020, by select country*." Chart. September 10, 2020. Statista. Accessed May 22, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097524/water-stress-levels-by-country/
IEP. (2020). Baseline water stress score worldwide in 2020, by select country*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 22, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097524/water-stress-levels-by-country/
IEP. "Baseline Water Stress Score Worldwide in 2020, by Select Country*." Statista, Statista Inc., 10 Sep 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097524/water-stress-levels-by-country/
IEP, Baseline water stress score worldwide in 2020, by select country* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097524/water-stress-levels-by-country/ (last visited May 22, 2022)
