2024-05-02 02:41:29
The country with the most fresh water reserves in the world is in South America. Photo: IA
Water is vital to life, but did you know that only a handful of countries are home to most of the fresh water reserves of the world? With the climate change and the need to take care of natural resources, reserves represent a global responsibility.
Therefore, when experts warn of possible fights over water in the future, it is important to pay attention to the states that have the most sweet wateras they might be relevant to the way the resource is managed responsibly in the world.
The 5 countries with the most fresh water reserves
- Brazil: owns the aquifer Guarani, one of the largest in the world, stretching under four countries, with most of it within its borders. It also has the Amazonaswhich is the largest river system in the world and benefits it with 5,661 cubic kilometers in freshwater resources.
- Russia: It houses 4,312 cubic kilometers of fresh wateras well as with large lakes such as Baikal, the deepest and most voluminous freshwater in the world, as well as an important part of the Arcticwith its vast ice reserves.
- Canada: with an impressive number of lakes and rivers, it is one of the main reservoirs with 20% of the world’s fresh water, as it reaches 2,850 cubic kilometers of this resource. Lake Superior stands out.
- USA: with 2,813 cubic kilometers of fresh wateralso has important water resources, which include the great lakesshared with Canadaand a considerable infrastructure to manage its use and conservation.
- China: although it faces serious problems of water distribution and quality, it has fundamental rivers such as the Yangtsé and the Yellowessential for its dense population and agriculture. Currently, it has 2,813 cubic kilometers of fresh water.
Why is it so important to have water reserves?
In a world where droughts and floods are more common due to climate changehaving enough stored water helps countries for several reasons:
- They support agriculture.
- They support the industry.
- They are essential for human survival, as well as countless species.
- They regulate local and global climate.
- And they are considerable to keep hydrological and ecological cycles in balance.
The Amazon River, the largest in the world, extends mostly in Brazil. Photo: EFEverde
On the other hand, knowing all this, it is clear that the Countries with more water reserves can better handle crisescontrol how it is used in agriculture, in industry and for drinking, and also better protect the environment.
How does climate change impact global freshwater reserves?
He climate change is significantly affecting the fresh water reserves worldwide. This happens due to rising temperatures leading to greater water evaporation, while altered weather patterns generate more irregular rainfall, affecting the recharge of aquifers and river systems.
In addition, The melting of glaciers is one of the main factors of the alterationny lack of water availability in regions that depend on these sources.
Melting ice sheets, a product of climate change. Photo: Ulf Mauder
What are the South American countries with the largest water reserves?
- Brazil: It has the largest amount of freshwater resources in South Americathanks mainly to the Amazon River, which is the largest river in the world, and its vast basin that receives high levels of precipitation annually.
- Colombia: Rich in water resources, Colombia has important rivers such as the Magdalena and the Caucaand receives high rainfall that feeds numerous rivers and lakes.
- Peru: Although much of its territory is arid, it has important rivers such as the Amazon and has large water reserves in the Amazon region.
- Venezuela: It has a large amount of water resources, including Maracaibo lake and the Orinoco riverone of the most important in South America.
- Argentina: although known for its arid regions, Argentina It has important aquifer resources such as Guaraní Aquifer (shared with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), and rivers such as the Paraná and the Uruguay.
The Amazon River is the main freshwater river in South America and the largest in the world. Photo: Aquae Foundation
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