Lakes and rivers permanent water area in China

China: Lakes and rivers permanent water area was 1.1% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
1.1%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
49th
of 221 countries
All-time high
1.1%
in 2022
All-time low
0.7%
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022

Lakes and rivers permanent water area in China, 2000–2022

00.250.50.7512000201120222000: 0.698 %2001: 0.733 %2002: 0.745 %2003: 0.853 %2004: 0.927 %2005: 0.934 %2006: 0.943 %2007: 0.956 %2008: 0.967 %2009: 0.966 %2010: 0.969 %2011: 0.976 %2012: 0.98 %2013: 0.99 %2014: 1 %2015: 1 %2016: 1 %2017: 1 %2018: 1 %2019: 1 %2020: 1 %2021: 1.1 %2022: 1.1 %

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.

Analysis

China recorded 1.1% for lakes and rivers permanent water area in 2022. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area in China peaked at 1.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2000.

That places China 49th out of 221 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

Lakes and rivers permanent water area in China, year by year

Annual values for Lakes and rivers permanent water area (% of total land area) in China, 2000 to 2022.
Year % Change
2000 0.7%
2001 0.7% +5.1%
2002 0.7% +1.6%
2003 0.9% +14.5%
2004 0.9% +8.6%
2005 0.9% +0.8%
2006 0.9% +1.0%
2007 1.0% +1.4%
2008 1.0% +1.2%
2009 1.0% -0.2%
2010 1.0% +0.3%
2011 1.0% +0.7%
2012 1.0% +0.4%
2013 1.0% +1.0%
2014 1.0% +1.1%
2015 1.0% +0.5%
2016 1.0% +0.5%
2017 1.0% +0.9%
2018 1.0% +0.8%
2019 1.0% +0.6%
2020 1.0% +1.1%
2021 1.1% +1.0%
2022 1.1% +0.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.9% 0.7% 1.0% 10
2010s 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 10
2020s 1.1% 1.0% 1.1% 3

Countries ranked near China

  1. 46 Zambia 1.2% compare
  2. 47 Cuba 1.1% compare
  3. 48 Bangladesh 1.1% compare
  4. 50 Mozambique 1.0% compare
  5. 51 Denmark 1.0% compare
  6. 52 Poland 1.0% compare

See the full ranking of 258 places →

More environment data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is lakes and rivers permanent water area in China?
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in China was 1.1% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 1.1% in 2022.
What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2000.
How does China rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area?
China ranks 49th out of 221 countries with data for 2022.
Is lakes and rivers permanent water area rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Lakes and rivers permanent water area (% of total land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Lakes and rivers permanent water area in China. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/lakes-and-rivers-permanent-water-area-percent-of-total-land-area/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Lakes and rivers permanent water area (% of total land area)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
258 places, 5,932 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed