Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Western Europe
Western Europe: Lakes and rivers permanent water area was 0.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Western Europe, 2000–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lakes and rivers permanent water area in Western Europe is 0.8%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area in Western Europe peaked at 0.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2000.
Western Europe ranks 21st 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 Western Europe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.3% | — |
| 2001 | 0.4% | +49.9% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | +32.9% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | +15.4% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +8.2% |
| 2005 | 0.7% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 0.7% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 0.7% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 0.8% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Western Europe
- 18 Uganda 3.3% compare
- 19 Switzerland 3.1% compare
- 20 British Virgin Islands 3.1% compare
- 21 French Polynesia 2.8% compare
- 22 United States of America 2.6% compare
- 23 Russian Federation 2.5% compare
- 23 Russian Federation 2.5% compare
More environment data for Western Europe
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.94 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.1 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.485 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.23 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total fibre furnish — Production, annual growth rate -4.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other industrial roundwood — Production, annual growth rate -0.1823 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Import value, annual growth rate 1.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Import quantity, annual growth rate 0.8449 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Production, annual growth rate -0.7929 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers permanent water area in Western Europe?
- Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Western Europe 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 Western Europe?
- The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Western Europe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2000.
- How does Western Europe rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area?
- Western Europe ranks 21st out of 37 groups with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers permanent water area rising or falling in Western Europe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western Europe 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).