Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern America
Northern America: Lakes and rivers permanent water area was 5.9% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Latest (2022)
5.9%
Change on year
up 0.0%
Rank
2nd
of 37 groups
All-time high
5.9%
in 2018
All-time low
5.7%
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern America, 2000–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern America is 5.9%, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern America peaked at 5.9% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 2000.
Northern America ranks 2nd of 37 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.7% | — |
| 2001 | 5.7% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 5.8% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 5.9% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 5.9% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 5.9% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 5.9% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 5.9% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 5.9% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 5.9% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 5.9% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 5.9% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 5.9% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 5.9% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 5.9% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 5.9% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 5.9% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 5.9% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Northern America
- 1 Azerbaijan 90.5% compare
- 2 Malawi 19.8% 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 Northern America
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.23 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.466 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.49 °C (2025)
- Recovered paper — Production 43.74 million t (2024)
- Total fibre furnish — Production 92.54 million t (2024)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Agricultural Use 14.64 million t (2024)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per capita 37.99 kg/cap (2024)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per area of cropland 75.85 kg/ha (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern America?
- Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Northern America was 5.9% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Northern America?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 2018.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Northern America?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 2000.
- How does Northern America rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area?
- Northern America ranks 2nd out of 37 groups with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers permanent water area rising or falling in Northern America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Northern America 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).