Comparison of Global and National Water Consumption Patterns in 2000

The provided charts illustrate the distribution of water usage globally and across four specific countries in 2000. Overall, agriculture accounted for the vast majority of global water consumption, whereas industrial and domestic needs played a secondary role. However, individual countries displayed markedly different consumption profiles.

Globally, agriculture dominated water usage at 70%, followed by industry at 22% and domestic use at 8%. In contrast, national data reveals a stark divide. India and China, both developing nations, utilised the largest proportions of their water for agriculture, at 92% and 69% respectively. Conversely, Canada’s water consumption was heavily skewed towards industry, which accounted for 80% of its total usage, with agriculture and domestic needs representing only 8% and 12% respectively.

New Zealand presented a unique balance, with agriculture and domestic use consuming 44% and 46% of its water, respectively, leaving only 10% for industry. While India’s industrial and domestic sectors were minimal at 3% and 5%, China maintained a more balanced profile, with 22% of its water allocated to industry and 9% to domestic purposes. These figures highlight the significant disparity between industrialised and agricultural-based economies regarding water resource management.