HUANGXiao-jia,SHANCong,LUJin-suo,et al.Water Resources Carrying Capacity in China: A Statistical Analysis[J].China Water & Wastewater,2025,41(6):1-8.
Water Resources Carrying Capacity in China: A Statistical Analysis
China Water & Wastewater[ISSN:1000-4062/CN:12-1073/TU]
volume:
第41卷
Number:
第6期
Page:
1-8
Column:
Date of publication:
2025-03-17
- Keywords:
- carrying capacity; water resources; statistical data; grain
- Abstract:
- This study demonstrates the per capita basic water resources and the level of water shortage in China based on the consumption of water resources by food, industrial, and domestic sectors. While the overall development intensity of water resources in China is below the critical threshold of 30%, the development intensity of water resource in the “Northwest, North and Northeast China” regions exceeds 30%, leading to severe water shortage, and some areas are extreme water shortages. This paper proposes a classification of water shortage degree and water resources carrying capacity suitable to China’s national conditions，and analyzes per capita statistics of water resources and water consumption, as well as development and utilization rates across China’s provincial administrative regions, comparing these data with global figures to elucidate the causes of water resource shortages. It validates the rationality of per capita basic water resources threshold of 500 m3/(cap·a) and calculates the corresponding water resources carrying capacity. Based on these statistics, China’s water resources carrying capacity is estimated to support 1.6 billion people, with a suitable population of 1 billion based on livable water resource density conditions. This research sets a direction for utilizing statistical data in studying of water resources carrying capacity of provincial administrative regions.
Last Update:
2025-03-17