In the EU, Croatia recorded the highest volume of freshwater resources (with a long-term average of 27,330 m³ per inhabitant). Finland and Sweden had the next highest volumes at around 20,000 m³.
According to the 'World water development report' of the United Nations, a country experiences 'water stress' when its annual water resources drop below 1,700 m³ per inhabitant.
The volume of freshwater resources per inhabitant is considered to be an important indicator for measuring the sustainability of water resources.
Among the EU member states, Poland, the Czech Republic, Cyprus and Malta fell beneath this threshold. Malta recorded the lowest volume of water resources, with 220 m³ per person.
UNESCO survey: Croatia ranks fifth in Europe according to water availability
According to the findings of a survey conducted by UNESCO in 2003, Croatia ranked fifth in Europe according to water availability and resources and was 42nd on the world’s water ranking list.
The Croatian underground water resources are estimated at some 9.2 billion cubic metres. Of that, 4 to 5 per cent (400 million cubic metres of renewable water supply) is used for providing water supplies annually.
All natural and artificial streams in Croatia are some 32,000 kilometres long on the aggregate.