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Costa Rica

Dynamics of water use in Costa Rica by estimates of SHI (1998)

 
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1995
2000
2010
2025
                   
Popultion, mln *
0.862
1.236
1.731
2.285
3.035
3.424
3.798
4.534
5.608
Irrigation area, th.ha **
20
26
26
61
120
130
140
160
190
GNP, $US per capita ***    
550
2030
1790
       
Water withdrawal, km 3
0.38
0.51
0.63
1.69
2.54
2.99
3.24
3.77
4.54
Water consumption, km 3
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.72
1.27
1.44
1.55
1.79
2.15
notes: * - Source: United Nations "Urban and Rural Areas 1950-2025, the 1995 Revision" (World Resources Institute data)
** - 1961-1993 Source: FAO FAOSTAT 95 (World Resources Institute data); 1995 – 2025 - SHI forecast

*** - Source: World Bank World Tables 1994 update (World Resources Institute data)
 



 
 

Water use of Costa Rica (km 3 /year) by data of different authors


 
author
 
year
1970
1987
1990
2000
IIASA
withdrawal
1993
   
2.4
 
WRI
withdrawal
1991-98
1.35
     
WWDS
withdrawal
1998
   
2.6
 
Calvo Jullo
withdrawal
1990
1.36
2.55
 
5.63
Gleick
withdrawal
1998
   
1.35
 

notes: all estimates include water use for agriculture, industrial & domestic needs;

IIASA – Kulshreshtha S.N., 1993. World Water Resources & Regional Vulnerability: impact of future changes. Luxenburg: IIASA.

WRI – World Resources (1991-1992, 1992-1993, 1994, 1996, 1997-1998 ) – N.Y.: Oxford Univ. Press.

WWDS – World Water Resources. Demand & Supply: 1990 to 2025., 1998. Scenarious & Issues. Colombo:IWMI.

Calvo Jullo - Water resources development in Costa Rica 1970-2000. Calvo Jullo, C., 1990. Hydrol.Sci..J. 1990 35 n2

Gleick, 1998 - The World’s Water. The Beneficial Report on Freshwater Resources 1998-1999, 1998, Peter Gleick, Washington, D.C. Covello, California.