Earth's Water Distribution

Front

What is fresh water?

Back

Fresh water is water that is not salty and is essential for human consumption, agriculture, and ecosystems.

Front

What is an aquifer?

Back

An aquifer is a geological formation that can store and transmit water, holding large amounts of fresh water underground.

Front

What percentage of Earth's water is fresh water?

Back

Fresh water makes up about 2.5% of the total water on Earth.

Front

Why should fresh water be conserved?

Back

Fresh water is limited and essential for life, so conserving it helps ensure its availability for future generations.

Front

Where is most of Earth's fresh water found?

Back

Most of Earth's fresh water is found in glaciers and ice caps, primarily in a frozen state.

Front

What is groundwater?

Back

Groundwater is water that is stored underground in aquifers and makes up about 30% of Earth's fresh water.

Front

What is surface water?

Back

Surface water is fresh water found in rivers, lakes, and swamps, making up only about 0.3% of the total fresh water supply.

Front

What are the Great Lakes?

Back

The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America that hold a significant amount of the world's fresh surface water.

Front

What is the significance of Lake Baikal?

Back

Lake Baikal is the world's deepest and oldest freshwater lake, holding about 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water.

Front

What is the main use of fresh water by humans?

Back

Humans primarily use fresh water for drinking, agriculture, sanitation, and industrial processes.