WATER
STRESSED AND WATER SCARCE COUNTRIES: 2025 projections
Environmental and Water resources Management
Rafik Hirji - Hans Olav Ibrekk
Strategy Series Number 2 - October 2001
The World Bank - Environment Department
PRECIPITATION
DATA
Average annual precipitation for
selected world cities
City, Country |
Inches |
Centimeters |
Cairo,
Egypt |
1.0 |
2.5 |
Ahmadi,
Kuwait |
3.9 |
9.9 |
Riyadh,
S.
Arabia |
4.4 |
11.2 |
Damascus,
Syria |
7.4 |
18.8 |
McMurdo,
Antarctica |
8.0 |
20.3 |
|
Tehran, Iran |
9.5 |
24.1 |
Amman,
Jordan |
10.7 |
27.2 |
Madrid,
Spain |
17.3 |
43.9 |
|
Prague, Czech Republic |
18.9 |
48.0 |
St.
Petersburg, Russia |
21.2 |
53.8 |
London,
Great Britain |
23.2 |
58.9 |
Paris,
France |
23.9 |
60.7 |
Beijing,
China |
25.0 |
63.5 |
Nairobi,
Kenya |
29.9 |
75.9 |
Rome,
Italy |
31.2 |
79.2 |
Reykjavik,
Iceland |
32.2 |
81.8 |
|
Johannesburg, S. Africa |
33.3 |
84.6 |
|
Perth, Australia |
34.1 |
86.6 |
| Montreal,
Quebec |
40.8 |
103.6 |
| Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil |
43.4 |
110.2 |
| Brazzaville,
Congo |
54.0 |
137.2 |
| Tokyo,
Japan |
60.0 |
152.4 |
Yaounde,
Cameroon |
62.9 |
159.8 |
Jakarta,
Indonesia |
71.7 |
182.1 |
WATER RESOURCES DATA
Total Desalination Plants capacity in some
SMED & ME countries
Country |
Capacity
m3 / day |
Percentage of total
% |
Algeria |
204312 |
1.84 |
Bahrain |
315197 |
2.84 |
Egypt |
87044 |
0.78 |
Iraq |
333093 |
3.00 |
Jordan |
8445 |
0.08 |
Kuwait |
1523210 |
13.71 |
Libya |
677750 |
6.10 |
Morocco |
15325 |
0.14 |
Oman |
162096 |
1.46 |
Qatar |
582074 |
5.24 |
S.
Arabia |
5020320 |
45.20 |
Sudan |
1776 |
0.02 |
Syria |
7703 |
0.07 |
Tunisia |
50914 |
0.46 |
U.A.E. |
2081090 |
18.74 |
Yemen |
37188 |
0.33 |
Total |
11107537 |
100.00 |
Water availability SMED & ME countries
Country |
Total annual renewable
water resources |
Annual river flows |
Net annual renewable
resources |
Renewable resources per
capita |
from other countries |
to other countries |
1960 |
1990 |
2025 |
| |
B m3 |
B m3 |
B m3 |
B m3 |
m3 / yr |
m3 / yr |
m3 / yr |
Algeria |
18.90 |
0.20 |
0.70 |
18.40 |
1704 |
737 |
354 |
Bahrain |
n.a. |
n.a. |
n.a. |
n.a. |
n.a. |
n.a. |
n.a. |
Egypt |
1.80 |
56.50 |
n.s. |
58.30 |
2251 |
1112 |
645 |
Iran |
117.50 |
n.s. |
n.s. |
117.50 |
5788 |
2152 |
1032 |
Iraq |
34.50 |
66.00 |
n.a. |
100.00 |
14706 |
5285 |
2000 |
Israel |
1.70 |
0.45 |
n.a. |
2.15 |
1024 |
467 |
311 |
Jordan |
0.70 |
0.40 |
n.s. |
0.90 |
529 |
224 |
91 |
Lebanon |
4.80 |
n.a. |
0.86 |
3.80 |
2000 |
1407 |
809 |
Libya |
0.70 |
n.a. |
n.a. |
0.70 |
538 |
154 |
55 |
Morocco |
30.00 |
n.a. |
0.30 |
29.70 |
2560 |
1185 |
651 |
Oman |
2.00 |
n.a. |
n.s. |
2.00 |
4000 |
1333 |
421 |
Qatar |
n.a. |
n.a. |
n.s. |
0.00 |
n.a. |
n.a. |
n.a. |
S.
Arabia |
2.20 |
n.a. |
n.s. |
2.20 |
537 |
156 |
49 |
Syria |
7.60 |
27.90 |
30.00 |
5.50 |
1196 |
439 |
161 |
Tunisia |
3.75 |
0.60 |
n.a. |
4.35 |
1036 |
532 |
319 |
U.A.E. |
0.30 |
n.a. |
n.a. |
0.30 |
3000 |
189 |
113 |
Yemen |
2.50 |
n.a. |
n.s. |
2.50 |
481 |
214 |
72 |
MENA |
228.45 |
152.05 |
31.86 |
348.30 |
3430 |
1436 |
667 |
Africa |
4184.00 |
n.a. |
n.a. |
4.18 |
14884 |
6516 |
2620 |
Asia |
10485.00 |
n.s. |
n.s. |
10485.00 |
6290 |
3368 |
2134 |
World |
40673.00 |
n.a. |
n.a. |
40673.00 |
134714 |
7685 |
4783 |
Use of non-conventional sources of
water in selected countries
Country |
Total water withdrawal |
Desalinated water |
Reused treated wastewater |
Use of desalination water
and treated water |
| |
Year |
million m3 per year |
Year |
million m3 per year |
Year |
million m3 per year |
million m3 per year |
as % of total withdrawal |
Algeria |
1990 |
4500.0 |
1990 |
64.0 |
|
|
64.00 |
1.422 |
Bahrain |
1991 |
239.2 |
1991 |
44.1 |
1991 |
8.0 |
52.13 |
21.793 |
Cyprus |
1993 |
211.0 |
|
|
1995 |
11.0 |
11.00 |
5.213 |
Egypt |
1993 |
55100.0 |
1990 |
25.0 |
1993 |
200.0 |
225.00 |
0.408 |
Iran |
1993 |
70034.0 |
1991 |
2.9 |
|
|
2.90 |
0.004 |
Iraq |
1990 |
42800.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jordan |
1993 |
984.0 |
1993 |
2.0 |
1991 |
50.3 |
52.30 |
5.315 |
Kuwait |
1994 |
538.0 |
1993 |
231.0 |
1994 |
52.0 |
283.00 |
52.602 |
Lebanon |
1994 |
1293.0 |
|
|
1991 |
2.0 |
2.00 |
0.155 |
Libya |
1994 |
4600.0 |
1994 |
70.0 |
1990 |
100.0 |
170.00 |
3.696 |
Malta |
1995 |
55.7 |
1995 |
31.4 |
1993 |
1.6 |
32.96 |
59.174 |
Morocco |
1991 |
11045.0 |
1992 |
3.4 |
|
|
3.40 |
0.031 |
Oman |
1991 |
1223.0 |
1995 |
34.0 |
1991 |
26.0 |
60.00 |
4.906 |
Qatar |
1994 |
284.9 |
1995 |
98.6 |
1994 |
25.2 |
123.80 |
43.454 |
S.
Arabia |
1992 |
17018.0 |
1995 |
714.0 |
1992 |
217.0 |
931.00 |
5.471 |
Syria |
1993 |
14410.0 |
|
|
1993 |
370.0 |
370.00 |
2.568 |
Tunisia |
1990 |
3075.0 |
1990 |
8.3 |
1993 |
20.0 |
28.30 |
0.920 |
Turkey |
1992 |
31600.0 |
1990 |
0.5 |
|
|
0.50 |
0.002 |
U.A.E. |
1995 |
2108.0 |
1995 |
385.0 |
1995 |
108.0 |
493.00 |
23.387 |
Water resources availability and uses
in SMED & ME countries
Country |
Annual
renewable water resources |
Total fresh water withdrawal |
Domestic use |
Industrial
use |
Agricultural
use |
Irrigated
area |
| |
km3 per year |
km3 per year |
% |
% |
% |
103
ha |
Algeria |
14.3 |
4.5 |
25 |
15 |
60 |
555 |
Cyprus |
0.9 |
0.21 |
24 |
2 |
74 |
40 |
Egypt |
86.8 |
55.1 |
6 |
8 |
86 |
3265 |
Libya |
0.6 |
4.6 |
11 |
2 |
87 |
470 |
Morocco |
30.0 |
11.04 |
5 |
3 |
92 |
1258 |
Sudan |
154.0 |
17.8 |
4 |
1 |
94 |
1946 |
Tunisia |
4.1 |
3.08 |
9 |
3 |
89 |
352 |
Bahrain |
0.1 |
0.24 |
39 |
4 |
56 |
3 |
Gaza
St. |
0.06 |
0.12 |
40 |
|
60 |
12 |
| Iran |
137.5 |
70.03 |
6 |
2 |
92 |
7264 |
| Iraq |
96.4 |
42.8 |
3 |
5 |
92 |
3525 |
Israel |
2.1 |
1.9 |
16 |
5 |
79 |
193 |
Jordan |
0.9 |
0.98 |
22 |
3 |
75 |
73 |
Kuwait |
0.0 |
0.54 |
37 |
2 |
60 |
5 |
Lebanon |
4.8 |
1.29 |
28 |
4 |
68 |
88 |
| Oman |
1.0 |
1.22 |
5 |
2 |
94 |
62 |
Qatar |
0.1 |
0.28 |
23 |
3 |
74 |
13 |
S.
Arabia |
2.4 |
17.02 |
9 |
1 |
90 |
1473 |
Syria |
46.1 |
14.41 |
4 |
2 |
94 |
1082 |
Turkey |
200.7 |
31.6 |
16 |
11 |
72 |
4186 |
U.A.E. |
0.1 |
2.11 |
24 |
9 |
67 |
67 |
| W.
Bank |
0.4 |
0.10 |
6.5 |
|
93.5 |
10.4 |
Yemen |
4.1 |
2.93 |
7 |
1 |
92 |
481 |
Data and characteristics of river basins
According to the United
Nations 215 international river basins containing 40% of the world's
population, are shared by two or more countries (Register of International
Rivers, 1988). These basins encompass 47% of the total land area of the
earth.
Number and area of international river
basins by continent
| Continent |
Number |
%
of area |
| Africa |
57 |
60 |
| North and Central America |
34 |
40 |
| South America |
36 |
60 |
| Asia |
40 |
65 |
| Europe |
48 |
50 |
| Total |
215 |
47 |
The 28 largest international
river basins vary in size from 5 870 000 km2 of the Amazon to 529
000 km2 for the Okavango. The Mississippi basin with an area of
3.2 million km2 covers 41% of the contiguous land area of the
USA. Thirteen basins are shared by five or more countries. Leading are the
Danube with 12 countries and the Nile and Niger each with ten. Many
countries have a large fraction of their total area in international river
basins. Fifteen countries with a per capita water availability of under 5000
m3 per year, have more than 75% of their total area in
international river basins.
Domestic water use in the Middle East
in 1995 and estimates of "minimum" and "maximum" water
demand for the year 2025
Country |
Domestic
use
1990 |
Population
1995 |
Domestic water
1995 |
Population
2025 |
Minimum
water needs
2025 |
Maximum
water needs
2025 |
| |
million m3 |
million |
m3 / cap / yr |
million |
million m3 / yr |
million m3 / yr |
| Afghanistan |
261.0 |
18.4 |
14.2 |
41.4 |
4140 |
10578 |
Algeria |
1120.0 |
28.4 |
39.4 |
47.2 |
4720 |
12060 |
Bahrain |
94.3 |
0.6 |
157.2 |
1.1 |
110 |
281 |
Egypt |
3100.0 |
61.9 |
50.1 |
97.9 |
9790 |
25013 |
| Iran |
4395.0 |
61.3 |
71.7 |
106.1 |
10610 |
27109 |
| Iraq |
1280.0 |
20.6 |
62.1 |
52.6 |
5260 |
13439 |
Israel |
597.0 |
5.5 |
108.5 |
8.0 |
800 |
2044 |
Jordan |
214.0 |
4.1 |
52.2 |
8.3 |
830 |
2121 |
Kuwait |
201.0 |
1.5 |
134.0 |
3.6 |
360 |
920 |
Lebanon |
368.0 |
3.7 |
99.5 |
6.1 |
610 |
1559 |
| Libya |
500.0 |
5.2 |
96.2 |
14.4 |
1440 |
3679 |
| Morocco |
543.0 |
29.2 |
18.6 |
477.4 |
4740 |
12111 |
| Oman |
56.0 |
2.2 |
25.5 |
6.0 |
600 |
1533 |
Qatar |
65.9 |
0.5 |
131.8 |
0.7 |
70 |
179 |
S.
Arabia |
1517.0 |
18.5 |
82.0 |
48.2 |
4820 |
12315 |
| Sudan |
800.0 |
28.1 |
28.5 |
58.4 |
5840 |
14921 |
| Syria |
530.0 |
14.7 |
36.1 |
33.5 |
3350 |
8559 |
| Tunisia |
261.4 |
8.9 |
29.4 |
13.3 |
1330 |
3398 |
Turkey |
5200.0 |
61.4 |
84.7 |
95.6 |
9560 |
24426 |
U.A.E. |
500.0 |
1.9 |
263.2 |
3.0 |
300 |
767 |
| Yemen |
201.0 |
13.2 |
15.2 |
34.5 |
3450 |
8815 |
| Total |
21804.6 |
|
|
|
72730 |
185827 |
Wealth
generated by the use of water in each sector of the economy
US dollars / cubic meter
Country |
Agriculture |
Industry |
Services |
| Afghanistan |
0.40 |
|
268.62 |
Algeria |
5.35 |
88.53 |
385.30 |
Bahrain |
0.61 |
315.15 |
|
Egypt |
0.96 |
18.58 |
685.53 |
| Iran |
1.22 |
92.55 |
511.57 |
| Iraq |
|
|
|
Israel |
1.49 |
120.00 |
687.10 |
Jordan |
1.68
- 1.91 |
138.00
- 207.00 |
360.10 |
Kuwait |
|
1887.69 |
237.37 |
Lebanon |
0.69 |
69.92 |
154.88 |
| Libya |
0.48 |
209.00 |
516.30 |
| Morocco |
1.47 |
109.66 |
2036.30 |
| Oman |
0.45 |
389.47 |
|
Qatar |
0.53 |
653.57 |
|
S.
Arabia |
0.81 |
492.18 |
411.07 |
| Syria |
2.18 |
53.04 |
1512.00 |
| Sudan |
0.52 |
22.60 |
707.07 |
| Tunisia |
2.90 |
183.74 |
1158.36 |
Turkey |
2.54 |
92.55 |
511.57 |
U.A.E. |
1.16 |
149.05 |
211.01 |
| West Bank |
9.89 |
|
|
| Yemen |
1.77 |
400.00 |
|
| Average |
1.86 |
532.77 |
649.37 |
| Maximum |
9.89 |
1887.69 |
2036.30 |
| Minimum |
0.40 |
18.58 |
154.88 |
Current and predicted water use as a
percentage of renewable water resources
Country |
Total
water use
1990s |
Total
as percent of internal + external water resources
1990s |
Extra domestic water needed for
2025 |
Predicted
total water use for
2025 |
Predicted
total as percent of internal + external water resources in
2025 |
| |
million m3 |
% |
million m3 |
million m3 |
% |
| Afghanistan |
26110.0 |
40 |
3879.0 |
29989.0 |
45.9 |
Algeria |
4500.0 |
31 |
3600.0 |
8100.0 |
55.8 |
Bahrain |
239.2 |
206 |
15.7 |
254.9 |
219.6 |
Egypt |
55100.0 |
95 |
6690.0 |
61790.0 |
106.5 |
| Iran |
70034.0 |
51 |
6221.0 |
76255.0 |
55.5 |
| Iraq |
42800.0 |
57 |
3980.0 |
46780.0 |
62.3 |
Israel |
2031.0 |
123 |
203.0 |
2234.0 |
135.3 |
Jordan |
984.0 |
112 |
616.0 |
1600.0 |
182.0 |
Kuwait |
538.0 |
2690 |
159.0 |
697.0 |
3485.4 |
Lebanon |
1293.0 |
29 |
242.0 |
1535.0 |
34.4 |
| Libya |
4600.0 |
767 |
940.0 |
5540.0 |
923.0 |
| Morocco |
11045.0 |
37 |
4197.0 |
15242.0 |
51.1 |
| Oman |
1223.0 |
124 |
544.0 |
1767.0 |
179.0 |
Qatar |
284.9 |
538 |
4.1 |
289.0 |
545.2 |
S.
Arabia |
17018.0 |
709 |
3303.0 |
20321.0 |
846.7 |
| Sudan |
17800.0 |
20 |
4680.0 |
22480.0 |
25.3 |
| Syria |
14410.0 |
55 |
2820.0 |
17230.0 |
65.8 |
| Tunisia |
3075.0 |
75 |
1069.0 |
4144.0 |
101.1 |
Turkey |
31600.0 |
17 |
4360.0 |
35960.0 |
19.3 |
U.A.E. |
2108.0 |
1405 |
-200.0 |
1908.0 |
1272.0 |
| Yemen |
2932.0 |
72 |
3249.0 |
6181.0 |
151.8 |
Extra water
needed to meet estimated "minimum water needs" for the year 2025
and expressed as a percentage of current irrigation use
Country |
Irrigation
water usage in 1990s |
Extra
water needed to meet predicted domestic water demand (minimum) in 2025 |
Extra
water needed as percent of current irrigation usage |
| |
million m3 |
million m3 |
% |
| Afghanistan |
25849.0 |
3879.0 |
15.0 |
Algeria |
2700.0 |
3600.0 |
133.3 |
Bahrain |
135.1 |
15.7 |
11.6 |
Egypt |
47400.9 |
6690.0 |
14.1 |
| Iran |
64155.0 |
6221.0 |
9.7 |
| Iraq |
39380.0 |
9380.0 |
10.1 |
Israel |
1297.0 |
203.0 |
15.7 |
Jordan |
737.0 |
616.0 |
83.6 |
Kuwait |
324.0 |
159.0 |
49.1 |
Lebanon |
875.0 |
242.0 |
27.7 |
| Libya |
4000.0 |
940.0 |
23.5 |
| Morocco |
10180.0 |
4197.0 |
41.2 |
| Oman |
1148.0 |
544.0 |
47.4 |
Qatar |
210.0 |
4.1 |
2.0 |
S.
Arabia |
15308.0 |
3303.0 |
21.6 |
| Sudan |
16800.0 |
4680.0 |
27.9 |
| Syria |
13600.0 |
2820.0 |
20.7 |
| Tunisia |
2727.5 |
1069.0 |
39.2 |
Turkey |
22900.0 |
4360.0 |
19.0 |
U.A.E. |
1408.0 |
-200.0 |
|
| Yemen |
2700.0 |
3249.0 |
120.0 |
|