15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Permanent snow in Europe
Europe: 15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Permanent snow was 15,754 km2 in 2021. ▼ Falling
15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Permanent snow in Europe, 2000–2021
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in km2.
Analysis
The most recent figure for 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: permanent snow in Europe is 15,754 km2, measured in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: permanent snow in Europe peaked at 17,301 km2 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15,754 km2, in 2021.
Europe ranks 12th of 21 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Permanent snow in Europe, year by year
| Year | km2 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17,301 km2 | — |
| 2005 | 16,724 km2 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 15,984 km2 | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 15,774 km2 | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 15,764 km2 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 15,754 km2 | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17,012 km2 | 16,724 km2 | 17,301 km2 | 2 |
| 2010s | 15,841 km2 | 15,764 km2 | 15,984 km2 | 3 |
| 2020s | 15,754 km2 | 15,754 km2 | 15,754 km2 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Europe
- 9 Afghanistan 3,062 km2 compare
- 10 Pakistan 2,915 km2 compare
- 11 New Zealand 1,698 km2 compare
- 11 Australia and New Zealand 1,698 km2 compare
- 13 Kazakhstan 1,295 km2 compare
- 14 Peru 1,250 km2 compare
- 15 Bhutan 1,073 km2 compare
More environment data for Europe
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.33 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.75 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.435 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.71 °C (2025)
- Recovered paper — Production 57.94 million t (2024)
- Total fibre furnish — Production 101.18 million t (2024)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per area of cropland 49.53 kg/ha (2024)
- Pesticides (total) — Export value 16.44 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Import quantity 11.92 million t (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: permanent snow in Europe?
- 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: permanent snow in Europe was 15,754 km2 in 2021, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: permanent snow recorded in Europe?
- The highest recorded value was 17,301 km2 in 2000.
- What is the lowest 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: permanent snow recorded in Europe?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,754 km2 in 2021.
- How does Europe rank for 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: permanent snow?
- Europe ranks 12th out of 21 groups with data for 2021.
- Is 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: permanent snow rising or falling in Europe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of 15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Permanent snow and glaciers — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
As the custodian agency of 22 SDG indicators, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is responsible for curating and refining the methodologies of these indicators, collecting data from national sources, ensuring their quality and compatibility with applicable standards and classifications, and disseminating data at global level. This FAOSTAT domain complements the global SDG database administered by the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), as well as FAO’s SDG indicators portal, by providing access to the available data for all SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship. While this metadata page provides summary information on all SDG indicators data disseminated through FAOSTAT, indicator-specific metadata can be accessed from the link on the right hand navigation column. This additional metadata file provides details on the methodology used to compile each indicators, their data sources and the contact information of the relevant FAO focal point. It includes the links to the official SDG Indicator metadata documents accessible from the UNSD global SDG database.SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship, consisting of 22 indicators and 66 series that fall under six goals: • Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.• Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.• Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production.• Goal 14: Life below water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.• Goal 15: Life on land: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.