The majority of the earth's water is in the form of

About 97 percent of Earth's water sits in the oceans as saline water.

The atmosphere holds only a tiny fraction of water as vapour and clouds.

Freshwater lakes and glaciers store a small share, with most fresh water locked in ice.

Rivers carry a very minor portion of the planet's total water at any moment.

Only a few percent of all water is fresh, and most of that is frozen.

This uneven distribution is why usable fresh water is a scarce resource.