Geography
Why is a water crisis in the world even though most parts of the Earth is covered with water?
Water Bodies
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Answer
The water crisis in the world is due to the following reasons:
- Abundance of Salt Water — About 71% of the Earth's surface is covered with water, but 96.5% of it is saline and found in oceans and seas, which is not suitable for drinking or irrigation.
- Limited Freshwater Availability — Only about 3.5% of the Earth’s water is freshwater. However, most of this is not easily accessible:
- Frozen in glaciers, ice caps (Arctic, Antarctic)
- Stored underground in deep aquifers
- Tiny Share for Direct Use — Just 0.5% of freshwater is found in rivers, lakes, and ponds, which is the primary source for all human, plant, and animal needs.
- Pollution by Human Activities — Many freshwater sources are being polluted by industrial waste, sewage, agricultural runoff, and plastics, making the water unsafe and reducing the usable supply.
- Overuse and Waste — Water is often wasted through careless usage, leaking pipelines, over-irrigation, and excessive extraction from rivers and underground sources, especially in urban and agricultural areas.
- Unequal Distribution — Freshwater is unevenly distributed across the world. Some regions face scarcity while others have relatively abundant resources.
Thus, despite the Earth's water-rich appearance, the actual usable freshwater is extremely limited. Human pollution and wasteful practices are making the situation worse, leading to a growing global water crisis.
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