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Among the 25 most populous countries in
2009, South Africa, Egypt and Pakistan are the most water-limited
nations. India and China, however, are not far behind with per
capita renewable water resources of only 1,592 and 2,103 cubic meters per
person per year. Major European countries have up to twice as much
renewable water resources per capita, ranging from 2,288 (Germany) to
3,032 (France) cubic meters per person per year. The United States
of America, on the other hand, has far greater renewable water
resources than China, India or major European countries: 9,753 cubic
meters per person per year. By far the largest renewable water
resources are reported from the Russian Federation and Brazil - with
31,929 and 42,496 cubic meters per person per year. |
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Without an increase in available water
resources, Ethiopia, due to population growth, would become the most
water limited country in 2050 with only 633 cubic meters of
renewable water resources per person per year - followed by Egypt,
Pakistan, South Africa and Nigeria. Due to the projected population
decline, per capita renewable water resources in some European
countries would slightly increase - from 2,288 to 2,667 cubic meters per
person per year in Germany and from 2,954 to 3,146 cubic meters
per person per year in Italy. |