This dataset present long term annual averages of renewable freshwater resources, which aggregates the quantity of water received from precipitation net of evapotranspiration, and from inflowing rivers from neighbouring countries.
Internal resources: are evaluated as precipitation less evapotranspiration.
Total renewable: net result of precipitation minus evapotranspiration plus inflow (water flows from neighbouring countries).
This definition ignores differences in storage and represents the maximum quantity of water on average available.
Limitations of the data
When interpreting these data, it should be borne in mind that the definitions and estimation methods employed by Member countries may vary considerably among countries.
This dataset takes stock of available freshwater resources in OECD countries.
Freshwater resources, particularly their renewable component (i.e. available for abstraction), are essential to the development of human life and economic activities.