Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Malawi
Malawi: Lakes and rivers permanent water area was 19.8% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Latest (2022)
19.8%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
2nd
of 192 countries
All-time high
20.4%
in 2011
All-time low
17.1%
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Malawi, 2000–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 19.8% for lakes and rivers permanent water area in 2022.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area in Malawi peaked at 20.4% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 17.1%, in 2000.
Malawi ranks 2nd of 192 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17.1% | — |
| 2001 | 17.3% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 20.3% | +17.8% |
| 2003 | 20.3% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 20.4% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 20.4% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 20.4% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 20.4% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 20.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 20.4% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 20.4% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 20.4% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 20.4% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 20.3% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 20.3% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 20.2% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 20.2% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 20.1% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 20.1% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 19.9% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 19.9% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 19.8% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 19.8% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.7% | 17.1% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.2% | 19.9% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.8% | 19.8% | 19.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 1 Azerbaijan 90.5% compare
- 3 Turkmenistan 18.1% compare
- 4 Saint Martin (French part) 11.0% compare
- 5 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 10.5% compare
More environment data for Malawi
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.9153 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.8098 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.07 °C (2025)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, per capita 0.003 m3 per person (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Import quantity, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2023)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers permanent water area in Malawi?
- Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Malawi was 19.8% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 20.4% in 2011.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.1% in 2000.
- How does Malawi rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area?
- Malawi ranks 2nd out of 192 countries with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers permanent water area rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).