EN
The paper presents a hydrological cycle that takes place in nature and addresses the concept of water resources and the methods of their measurement as well as the shortage of water resources. In the ensuing discussion, the paper assesses those conditions by the continents and regions, pointing out the difficult situation in Northern Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Further, it presents the investigation of the correlation between the volume of GDP and the particular features of water management within the continents. The results of calculations show differences, yet there is a clear correlation between the number of population, the water consumption and other indexes of water management. The paper ends with the conclusion that there is basically no shortage of water resources within the world economy, yet there is more and more acute crisis in water supply on the regional scale due to the insufficient water supply and sewerage infrastructure, improper economic policy and environmental policy, and poverty among large groups of population.