Global water consumption trends and comparative data for two nations

The line graph illustrates the growth in global water consumption for agricultural, industrial, and domestic purposes from 1900 to 2000. The table provides a comparison of population, irrigated land, and per capita water usage between Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Overall, water consumption worldwide rose dramatically over the century, with agriculture consistently requiring the largest volume. Furthermore, there is a stark disparity in water-related statistics between the two listed countries.

In 1900, agricultural water use stood at 500 km³, rising steadily to 1,000 km³ by 1950, and accelerating to 3,000 km³ by 2000. Industrial and domestic sectors also grew, though at lower volumes; industrial use climbed from 50 km³ to 1,200 km³, while domestic use increased from 20 km³ to 400 km³ over the same period.

Regarding the table, Brazil, with a population of 176 million, utilizes 26,500 km² of irrigated land and consumes 359 m³ of water per person. In contrast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a much smaller population of 5.2 million, uses only 100 km² of irrigated land and records a significantly lower per capita water consumption of just 8 m³.