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Sections

Water Resources
Vegetation Resources
Food Resources
Mineral Resources
Fuel and Energy Resources
The Earth

About Water Resources

Water Resources

Fresh water is essential for life on Earth and in some parts of the world it is a most precious commodity. On the other hand it is very easy for industrialised temperate states to take its existence for granted, and man's increasing demand may only be met finally by the desalination of Earth's 1 250 million cubic kilometers od salt water. 70% of the Earth's fresh water exists as ice.

The Hydrological Cycle

Making of the Landscape Picture 1

Water is continually being absorbed into the atmosphere as vapour from oceans, lakes, rivers and vegetation transpiration. On cooling the vapour either condenses and freezes and falls as rain, hail or snow. Most precipitation falls over the sea but one quarter falls over the land of which over half evapourates again soon after falling while the rest flows back into the oceans.


©  Copyright 2002, 2003 Seelendran Naidoo
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