Lakes and rivers permanent water area change in Africa
Africa: Lakes and rivers permanent water area change was 5.5% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Lakes and rivers permanent water area change in Africa, 2005–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Africa recorded 5.5% for lakes and rivers permanent water area change in 2022. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.
The figure is up 33.9% on the previous year and up 53.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area change in Africa peaked at 5.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2007.
Africa ranks 16th of 34 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
Lakes and rivers permanent water area change in Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 3.9% | — |
| 2006 | 3.5% | -9.9% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -14.7% |
| 2008 | 3.4% | +15.0% |
| 2009 | 3.2% | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 3.4% | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 3.4% | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 3.6% | +5.3% |
| 2013 | 3.5% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 3.6% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 3.7% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 3.5% | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 3.6% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 3.5% | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 4.1% | +16.3% |
| 2022 | 5.5% | +33.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 3.9% | 5 |
| 2010s | 3.6% | 3.4% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.4% | 3.5% | 5.5% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Africa
- 13 Kiribati 233.4% compare
- 14 Sudan 225.3% compare
- 15 Tonga 208.3% compare
- 16 Tuvalu 160.6% compare
- 17 Cook Islands 153.5% compare
- 18 Northern Mariana Islands 149.9% compare
- 19 Christmas Island 124.2% compare
More environment data for Africa
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Temperature change 1.32 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.213 °C (2025)
- Primary wood and paper products (export/import) — Export value 5.54 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Roundwood, coniferous — Production 32.26 million m3 (2024)
- Roundwood — Export value 714,851 1000 USD (2024)
- Roundwood — Export quantity 3.78 million m3 (2024)
- Roundwood — Import value 182,147 1000 USD (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers permanent water area change in Africa?
- Lakes and rivers permanent water area change in Africa was 5.5% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest lakes and rivers permanent water area change recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area change recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2007.
- How does Africa rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area change?
- Africa ranks 16th out of 34 groups with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers permanent water area change rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Lakes and rivers permanent water area change (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 18 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).