**2.2 Economic growth**

In general, growing economies need growing populations, albeit at different rates. However, if population growth exceeds growth of the economy, the standard of living goes down. Industrial development has had an important role in the economic growth, leading to increased manufacturing, which is a water intensive industry using it for processing, cooling, and disposal of waste products. However, industry not only reduces water reserves but also pollutes the sources that remain and thus reducing citizens access to safe water. An overall economic growth will intensify water demand, straining the local water supply to meet the ever-increasing need of a growing population.

Algeria—Algeria's economy is dominated by its export trade in petroleum and natural gas. This sector accounts for around 94% of export earnings in 2019 [9]. Algeria's gas reserves rank as the tenth biggest in the world [10]. Nevertheless, this economic growth in Algeria contributes to biodiversity loss via higher emissions and greater resource consumption such as freshwater reserves.

Morocco—The crucial economy resources in Morocco are agriculture, phosphate minerals, mining, tourism and fish. Morocco has the largest phosphate reserves in the world and ranks as the third-largest producer of phosphate. Industry and mining contribute about one-third of the annual GDP. The recent economic growth in Morocco requires increase in water demand which has imposed a height pressure over national scare water resources and leads to a decrease in the region's biodiversity, in large part because water resources are poorly managed and water stocks are being polluted. Irrigated areas are also compromised because of water shortages and soil erosion, which would further reduce the GDP of Morocco up to 6.7B US dollars per year, as valued in 2016 [11].

Tunisia—Virtually all sectors of the economy rely on water. Tunisia has a relatively diversified economy such as agriculture, mining, tourism and manufacturing production with services contributing nearly 60% to the GDP [12]. The demand for freshwater in Tunisia is likely to increase while supplies decrease due to economic growth and an increase in human population. Drinking water demand was estimated at around 290 Mcm in 1996 and may even reach 491 Mcm in 2030. However, industrial water demand was estimated at 104 Mcm in 1996 and may rise to 203 Mcm in 2030 [13], exerting further stress on water demand.

Libya—In general, Libyan economy depended mainly on the agricultural sector before the discovery of significant oil reserves in 1959. Libya has one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, primarily due the oil and gas sector accounts. Economic growth associated with growing population are the main factors behind the rise in water consumption to satisfy increasing water demands in Libya either in agriculture (the growth of irrigated agricultural areas) or industrial uses. As Libya is already facing a critical water shortage, it is increasingly depleting its precious groundwater resources, most of which are non-renewable.

Mauritania—Mauritania's economy is still largely based on agriculture including crops, livestock and fisheries. At present, fisheries and marine resources account for more than 12.5% of Mauritania's GDP. This country depends also on extractive industries; iron ore, which account for almost 50% of total exports. Additionally, an expanding mining industry (rise in metal prices, gold and copper) and recently found oil reserves led Mauritania's recent economic expansion. Despite the country's huge reserves of resources (fish, iron, oil, gold, etc.), it counts as a lower middle-income country as more than 16.6% of the population lives below the extreme poverty line. The informal economy accounts for 40% of GDP and employs about 86% of the working-age population [8]. Rural areas in Mauritania suffer regular shortages due to the country's periodic droughts in the 1970s, 1980s and 2000s; declining rainfall and the restricted technical and financial capacity of the Mauritanian National Rural Water Supply Agency, often force the migration of farmers to cities and cause more pressure on water reserves.
