Canada's Water Quantity in a Global Context

Canada, the second-largest country among the 10 nations examined, has the second-highest amount of renewable water.

Among the 10 countries examined, Canada has the most renewable water per person. Much of this water flows to the north and is not easily available to the population, which is located mostly in the south.

Renewable annual water supplies for selected countries (total and per person)

Chart: Renewable annual water supplies for selected countries (total and per person)

Note: Selected countries are the G8 plus Australia, which has a similar population, population density, and territorial extent compared to Canada, and Sweden, which has a similar climate.
Source: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 2008. Environmental Data Compendium 2006–2008. Environmental Performance and Information Division, OECD. Working Group on Environmental Information and Outlooks. For the Russian Federation: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2003. Review of World Water Resources by Country. Water Report 23.

A direct comparison of Canada’s annual water levels with those of other countries is not possible, because the data are not available. However, the renewable water supply in a country can be estimated by calculating the amount of water flowing in its rivers. That amount is divided by the total population of the country to allow a comparison with other countries.

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