We can’t go without water for very long. It’s a basic human need. Without freshwater, we wouldn’t be able to survive.
We would die of thirst and would not be able to grow crops. So is it any wonder that throughout history, people have looked for water when deciding on a place to live?
People also settle near bodies of water that are navigable. That means that ships can travel on them. Ocean and river ports, from which people and goods can move all around the world, often become major cities. Today, more than 120 million Americans live near the shoreline. That’s about two of every five people in the country. And that number is expected to rise in the future.
