As you can readily see from the following World Water Pollution Map, pollution continues to be a problem, especially in industrialized nations, where a lot of pollutants are finding their way into our river's and oceans.

Freshwater use by continents is partly based on several socio-economic development factors, including population, physiographic, and climatic characteristics. Analysis indicates that:

- Annual global freshwater withdrawal has grown from 3,790 km3 (of which consumption accounted for 2,070 km3 or 61%) in 1995, to 4,430 km3 (of which consumption accounted for 2,304 km3 or 52%) in 2000 (Shiklomanov, 1999).

These were the current situation in 2009. Most part of Asia, North and South America and Africa are suffering from agricultural droughts.

States that collect the most water are those where irrigated agriculture is very important. There are currently 280 million hectares irrigated worldwide, against 190 in 1980. Irrigated agriculture is responsible for 95% of freshwater withdrawals in some developing countries. Looking at the share of renewable resources withdrawn for agriculture, there are clear differences. In some areas, the resource is not mobilized, including where agricultural use is overwhelmingly dominant, either due to low population density or poor management of the resource.

The agricultural sector is by far the biggest user of freshwater. Analysis indicates that: - In the United States, agriculture accounts for some 49% of total freshwater use, with 80% of this volume being used for irrigation (Shiklomanov, 1999). - In Africa and Asia, an estimated 85-90% of all freshwater used is for agriculture (Shiklomanov, 1999). - According to estimates for the year 2000, agriculture accounted for 67% of the world’s total freshwater withdrawal, and 86% of its consumption (UNESCO, 2000).

The size of countries displayed is in proportion with the number of people who died from droughts there between 1975 and 2005. 98% of deaths: Ethiopia, Sudan and Mozambique.

The size of countries displayed is in proportion with the number of people killed by floods between 1975 and 2005 (Venezuela biggest)

Glaciers and ice caps cover about 10% of the world’s landmass. These are concentrated in Greenland and Antarctica and contain 70% of the world’s freshwater. Unfortunately, most of these resources are located far from human habitation and are not readily accessible for human use. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), 96% of the world’s frozen freshwater is at the South and North Poles, with the remaining 4% spread over 550,000 km2 of glaciers and mountainous icecaps measuring about 180,000 km3 (UNEP, 1992; Untersteiner, 1975; WGMS, 1998, 2002).

This map shows, in proportions, the quantity of water available versus the quantity of water that is disapearing on earth. \

Is we take for example India: not so much resources but huge depletion

This graphic shows the availability of freshwater through average river flows and groundwater recharge, in cubic metres per capita per year, at the national level in the year 2000. The graphic highlights the countries with the least freshwater resources (Egypt and the United Arab Emirates) and those with the most (Suriname and Iceland).