Intra-state water conflicts (second half of the XX- early XXI centuries): historical and geographic overview

Abstract

The article reveals and systematizes the main types of conflicts over drinking water, which broke out in the world during the late XX and early XXI centuries. For each type of conflict, a specific example is given and briefly disclosed its history, the main reasons for its deployment are analyzed. It is noted that the overwhelming majority of past and present conflicts are local and take place within national states. But with population growth, industrialization and urbanization, the demand for water is only growing, which leads to increased competition for it and can provoke new disputes over this resource. Separately, the conflict over access to hydro-resources on the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula is highlighted. The experience of studying conflicts over water demonstrates that even local disputes over hydro resources often result in human casualties, worsen people's living conditions, and carry health risks, in particular famine and epidemics.