Risk analyst Maplecroft has evaluated the water security of 165 countries and rated the supply of clean water to societies and business. Climate change and increasing demands from population growth are said to cause a worsening of water stress over the coming decades.

The index was developed by measuring key areas surrounding the issues:
1. access to improved drinking water.
2. sanitation.
3. relationship between available water and supply demands.
4. water dependency of each country’s economy.

The report, e.g., notes that Pakistan’s long-running dispute over Kashmir – a relatively water rich and nicely irrigated crop area – with India is in part fuelled by competition for critical water resources that are needed to maintain the growth of industry and investment for both countries.