The　globalization　of　trade　has　caused　tremendous　pressure　on　water　resources　globally,　and　a　virtual　water　trade　provides　a　new　perspective　on　global　freshwater　sharing　and　water　sustainability.　No　study　has　yet　explored　the　structural　characteristics　and　drivers　of　the　evolution　of　global　virtual　water　trade　networks　from　a　network　structure　evolution　perspective.　This　paper　aims　to　fill　this　critical　gap　by　developing　a　research　framework　to　explore　how　endogenous　network　structures　and　external　factors　have　influenced　the　evolution　of　virtual　water　trade　networks.　We　constructed　virtual　water　trade　networks　for　62　countries　worldwide　from　2000　to　2015　and　used　an　innovative　combination　of　multi-regional　input-output　data　and　stochastic　actor-oriented　models　for　analytical　purposes.　Our　results　support　the　theoretical　hypothesis　of　ecologically　unequal　exchange　and　trade　drivers,　arguing　that　virtual　water　flows　from　less　developed　countries　to　developed　countries　under　global　free　trade　and　that　unequal　trade　patterns　lead　to　excessive　consumption　of　virtual　water　in　less　developed　countries.　The　results　partially　support　the　theoretical　content　of　water　endowment　and　traditional　gravity　models,　finding　that　trade　networks　are　expanding　to　farther　and　larger　markets,　confirming　that　national　water　scarcity　levels　do　not　impact　the　evolution　of　virtual　water　trade　networks.　Finally,　we　point　out　that　meritocratic　links,　path　dependence,　reciprocity,　and　transmissive　links　have　extreme　explanatory　power　for　the　evolutionary　development　of　virtual　water　networks.