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Most of Earth is covered in water. What percentage of this water can humans drink?

A
B
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1%
5%
10%
20%

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Approximately less than 1% of the water on Earth is drinkable for humans.


Step-by-step explanation:

Most of Earth is covered in water, approximately 71% of the Earth's surface. However, only about 3% of this water is freshwater suitable for drinking, with the remaining 97% being saltwater. Out of the freshwater, the vast majority is trapped in glaciers and polar ice caps, leaving only a small percentage accessible as surface water or groundwater.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 0.77% of the total water resources on Earth is readily available for human use. This percentage is further reduced due to various factors such as pollution, contamination, and limited infrastructure for water treatment and distribution. Therefore, the percentage of water on Earth that humans can drink is less than 1%.


Learn more about availability of drinkable water on Earth

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