Global map of water stress/ Albania outside critical areas

2026-04-02 20:22:36, Sociale CNA

An analysis published by Visual Capitalist, based on data from the World Resources Institute (WRI), shows that much of the world is facing high levels of water stress, as resources are increasingly approaching their limits.

According to the report, countries are classified into five categories, from “low stress” to “extreme stress,” depending on the percentage of water resources used each year. Countries with extreme stress consume over 80% of their available resources, risking serious supply shortages.

At the top of the list are countries in the Middle East and North Africa, such as Qatar, Israel, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, where demand for water significantly exceeds natural supply.

Even large countries like India and Pakistan face very high levels of stress, due to the combination of large populations and intensive use in agriculture.

Albania outside the high stress zone

According to the map published by Visual Capitalist (based on data from the World Resources Institute), in Europe, the country with the highest stress according to the report is Belgium (52.8%), but for completely different reasons than Mediterranean countries, from a combination of intensive consumption and relatively limited resources per capita.

Overall, Europe is not considered a continent with extreme water stress, but presents a clear geographical divide. Southern and Mediterranean Europe is the most exposed, with countries such as Greece, Spain, Portugal and Italy facing higher pressure due to drier climates and intensive water use, particularly in agriculture and tourism.

Meanwhile, Central and Eastern Europe, including Albania, ranks mainly at low to medium levels of water stress, while Northern Europe has the most favorable situation, thanks to abundant rainfall and abundant resources.

According to the published map, Albania is not classified as a country with high or extreme water stress. It is part of the group of countries with low to medium stress, thanks to its relatively abundant water resources. Albania ranks 124th, with water stress of only 4.8%, ranking among the countries in Europe with low water resource use.

Better than Albania in the region is Bosnia and Herzegovina (2.1%), while in Europe they are Sweden (3.6%), Slovakia (2.4%), Norway (2%), Croatia (1.5%), Iceland (0.4%).

In the region, North Macedonia has the highest water scarcity (53%), among the lowest in Europe due to limited water resources. Serbia is better off (5.7%).

World: Half of the population faces high water stress

According to the report, about half of the global population lives in countries with high or extreme water stress. This is an important indicator of the increasing pressure on natural resources, especially in areas with rapid population growth and intensive water use.

An approaching challenge

Although Albania and part of the Balkans remain outside the most critical areas, the global trend shows that pressure on water resources is increasing. Climate change, increasing demand and inefficient water use are expected to deepen this problem in the coming years.

In this context, even countries that are considered relatively safe today are not exempt from risk in the long term, the report warns./Monitor.al