China admits 28,000 of its 50,000 rivers have disappeared
China's Ministry of Water Resources admits that one-quarter of its people drink polluted water and:
- 28,000 of its 50,000 rivers have disappeared over the last 20 years
- 80% of its water is polluted, unsuitable for drinking or bathing
- 25% of its water is unusable
- per capita water resources is only 28% of the world average
- is one of the nine most water scarce countries in the world
- has 20% of the world's population and only nine per cent of the world's fresh water
Here is the website for China's Ministry of Water Resources. Click "EU" at the top right to convert to English:
In China, 28,000 of its 50,000 rivers have vanished in 20 years. They continue to disappear at a rate of 1,000 a year.