How much of the Gulf’s water comes from desalination plants?

Al JazeeraEN 4 min read 100% complete by Mohamed A. HusseinMarch 12, 2026 at 01:58 PM

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long article 4 min

Gulf states, comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, produce 40% of the world's desalinated water through over 400 plants due to their water scarcity. These nations depend on desalination to supply water to their growing populations, industries, and agriculture, as they lack permanent rivers and have limited natural freshwater resources. In 2023, the Gulf states produced 7.2 billion cubic meters of freshwater through desalination, equivalent to approximately 334 liters per person per day. Recent accusations of attacks on desalination plants in Iran and Bahrain highlight the vulnerability of this critical infrastructure in the region. The Gulf's total installed desalination capacity is much higher, estimated at 26.4 billion cubic metres annually.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Muharraq 40% Qatar 50% Kuwait 50% Oman 50% Saudi Arabia 50% United Arab Emirates 50% Strait of Hormuz 60% Bahrain ×260% Qeshm Island 60% United States ×270% Iran ×380% Gulf States ×790%

Keywords

desalination 100% water scarcity 90% gulf states 80% water infrastructure 70% water supply 60% freshwater 50% strait of hormuz 40% groundwater 40%

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Negative

Score: -0.40

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Source

Al Jazeera

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Gulf States

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desalination water scarcity gulf states water infrastructure water supply freshwater strait of hormuz groundwater

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