Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern Africa and Western Asia
Northern Africa and Western Asia: Lakes and rivers permanent water area was 0.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern Africa and Western Asia, 2000–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern Africa and Western Asia is 0.8%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 0.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2000.
Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 24th of 37 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.3% | — |
| 2001 | 0.4% | +23.8% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | +27.9% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | +25.7% |
| 2004 | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.7% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 0.7% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | +0.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern Africa and Western Asia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +27.9% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| 2003 | +25.7% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Northern Africa and Western Asia
- 21 French Polynesia 2.8% compare
- 22 United States 2.6% compare
- 23 Russian Federation 2.5% compare
- 23 Russia 2.5% compare
- 25 Polynesia 2.4% compare
- 26 United Republic of Tanzania 2.3% compare
- 27 Tonga 2.2% compare
More environment data for Northern Africa and Western Asia
- Average proportion of Marine Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by 31.4% (2025)
- Average proportion of Terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) 29.3% (2025)
- Average proportion of Mountain Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered 27.2% (2025)
- Average proportion of Freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) 24.2% (2025)
- Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services, by 60.7% (2024)
- Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water 76.2% (2024)
- Proportion of population using basic drinking water services, by 92.2% (2024)
- Proportion of population using basic sanitation services, by location 91.0% (2024)
- Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of 77.7% (2023)
- Water Use Efficiency 13.29 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern Africa and Western Asia was 0.8% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2000.
- How does Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area?
- Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 24th out of 37 groups with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers permanent water area rising or falling in Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Northern Africa and Western Asia 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).