Lakes and rivers permanent water area in United States of America
United States of America: Lakes and rivers permanent water area was 2.6% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in United States of America, 2000–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lakes and rivers permanent water area in United States of America is 2.6%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area in United States of America peaked at 2.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 2000.
That places United States of America 22nd out of 221 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in United States of America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.3% | — |
| 2001 | 2.3% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 2.5% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 2.5% | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 2.6% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 2.6% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 2.6% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 2.6% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
- 19 Switzerland 3.1% compare
- 20 British Virgin Islands 3.1% compare
- 21 French Polynesia 2.8% compare
- 23 Russian Federation 2.5% compare
- 23 Russian Federation 2.5% compare
- 25 Polynesia 2.4% compare
More environment data for United States of America
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.16 Percentage change (2025)
- Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.91 Percentage change (2024)
- Exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.62 Percentage change (2024)
- Heating Degree Days 6,193 (2024)
- Cooling Degree Days 1,199 (2024)
- Total fisheries production 4.68 million metric tons (2024)
- Capture fisheries production 4.21 million metric tons (2024)
- Aquaculture production 467,617 metric tons (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Waste 9.94 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers permanent water area in United States of America?
- Lakes and rivers permanent water area in United States of America was 2.6% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 2000.
- How does United States of America rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area?
- United States of America ranks 22nd out of 221 countries with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers permanent water area rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States of 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).