Water conflict is a term describing a conflict between countries, states, or groups over the rights to access water resources.[1][2] The United Nations recognizes that water disputes result from opposing interests of water users, public or private.[3] A wide range of water conflicts appear throughout history, though rarely are traditional wars waged over water alone.[4] Instead, water has historically been a source of tension and a factor in conflicts that start for other reasons. However, water conflicts arise for several reasons, including territorial disputes, a fight for resources, and strategic advantage.[5] A comprehensive online database of water-related conflicts—the Water Conflict Chronology—has been developed by the Pacific Institute.[6] This database lists violence over water going back nearly 6,000 years.

These conflicts occur over both freshwater and saltwater, and both between and within nations.