Transboundary water
Rivers and watersheds and aquifers do not follow administrative borders. More than 263 river basins and over 300 aquifers are transboundary, covering approximately 45 percent of the Earth’s land surface, affecting around 40 percent of the global population and accounting for about 80 percent of global river flows.
Differences between countries in socioeconomic development, water-use priorities and institutional capacity can make transboundary water management particularly complex. Many major transboundary basins lack effective cooperation frameworks.
Groundwater resources stored in aquifers also play a critical role, particularly in water-scarce regions. Their hidden nature and limited available groundwater data often lead to gaps in assessment and governance, increasing risks of depletion and degradation.
Effective governance of transboundary water depends not only on technical planning, but also on strong legal and institutional frameworks, coordinated policies and inclusive decision-making processes.
FAO promotes integrated and inclusive approaches to water governance in transboundary contexts, in line with the FAO Conceptual Framework for Integrated Land and Water Resources Management.
