Population in the river basins of the Hindu Kush Himalayas
The economies of the HKH countries and the livelihoods of the majority of people within them are highly water dependent. Agriculture accounts for about 90% of all water withdrawals in HKH countries (higher than the world average of 70%). Although agriculture’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) is declining across South Asia and China, it remains an important component of the economies of HKH countries. Large proportions of the population are still based in rural areas and rely on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and livestock for their livelihoods. In Nepal, agriculture contributes about one-third of GDP and employs two-thirds of the labour force. In Pakistan, agriculture contributes about one-fifth of GDP and employs just under half of the population. In China, over half of the land is used for agriculture, which contributes almost one-tenth of the country’s GDP. The agricultural sectors in all HKH countries remain central to the development of their national economies. However, agriculture is also the sector most vulnerable to climate change, because it is highly susceptible to climate and weather, and also because people involved in agriculture tend to be poorer than urban populations. The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by ICIMOD, CICERO or GRID-Arendal.
Year: 2015
From collection: The Himalayan Climate and Water Atlas
Cartographer: Riccardo Pravettoni