With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements :

1. The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater.

2. The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Civil Services Exam (Prelims) General Studies Official Paper-I (Held On: 10 Oct 2021)

Answer 1

The correct answer is 2 only.

Key Points

Groundwater constitutes a much larger share of the Earth’s freshwater than the combined volume of water present in rivers and lakes.
Breakdown of freshwater resources (approximate):
- Groundwater: 30.1% of the world’s freshwater
- Rivers and lakes (surface water): Only about 0.3% of the world’s freshwater
Therefore, groundwater is far more abundant than rivers and lakes. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
A significant portion of the world’s freshwater is locked in polar ice caps and glaciers.
- Glaciers and ice caps: Approximately 68.7% of the world’s freshwater
- Groundwater: About 30.1%
Thus, the amount of water stored in ice caps and glaciers exceeds that in groundwater. Hence, statement 2 is correct.