Statizoid

Lakes and rivers permanent water area (square kilometres) by country

Countries reporting
251
Highest
916,377 kmsq
Canada
Lowest
0.0002 kmsq
Pitcairn
Median
222.42 kmsq
Years covered
23
2000–2022
Data points
6,714

What the numbers show

Lakes and rivers permanent water area (square kilometres) is currently reported for 251 countries. The highest value is 916,377 kmsq in Canada; the lowest is 0.0002 kmsq in Pitcairn.

The median across all reporting countries is 222.42 kmsq, and the mean is 11,993 kmsq.

Over the past decade 154 countries rose and 85 fell. The largest increase was in Wallis and Futuna Islands (up 2,128.7%), and the largest decrease in Montserrat (down 96.5%).

Lakes and rivers permanent water area: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Canada 916,377 kmsq 2022 up 0.3% flat
2 Russia 425,204 kmsq 2022 up 3.0% rising
2 Russian Federation 425,204 kmsq 2022 up 3.0% rising
4 United States 252,791 kmsq 2022 up 0.6% rising
5 Kazakhstan 155,467 kmsq 2022 up 3.4% rising
6 China 101,751 kmsq 2022 up 8.6% rising
7 Turkmenistan 88,527 kmsq 2022 up 2.9% rising
8 Azerbaijan 78,372 kmsq 2022 up 15.0% rising
9 Brazil 61,477 kmsq 2022 down 3.1% flat
10 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 59,506 kmsq 2022 up 4.1% rising
11 Democratic Republic of the Congo 35,993 kmsq 2022 up 0.9% rising
12 Argentina 25,229 kmsq 2022 up 2.5% falling
13 Malawi 23,500 kmsq 2022 down 2.7% flat
14 Finland 22,408 kmsq 2022 up 3.8% rising
15 United Republic of Tanzania 21,613 kmsq 2022 up 4.7% flat
16 Greenland 17,316 kmsq 2022 down 24.2% rising
17 Mongolia 13,861 kmsq 2022 down 0.0% rising
18 Norway 12,157 kmsq 2022 up 7.3% rising
19 Peru 11,808 kmsq 2022 down 3.1% flat
20 Chile 11,251 kmsq 2022 up 2.0% rising
21 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 9,382 kmsq 2022 down 13.1% falling
22 Nicaragua 9,326 kmsq 2022 up 0.2% rising
23 Zambia 9,106 kmsq 2022 down 0.5% flat
24 Indonesia 8,731 kmsq 2022 up 4.1% rising
25 Uzbekistan 8,684 kmsq 2022 down 21.6% falling
26 India 8,260 kmsq 2022 up 5.5% rising
27 Mozambique 8,223 kmsq 2022 down 1.1% rising
28 Uganda 7,921 kmsq 2022 up 0.6% rising
29 Kenya 7,914 kmsq 2022 up 4.3% rising
30 Australia and New Zealand 7,761 kmsq 2022 down 8.4% flat
31 Turkey 7,172 kmsq 2022 down 1.1% rising
31 Türkiye 7,172 kmsq 2022 down 1.1% rising
33 Colombia 7,157 kmsq 2022 down 14.9% flat
34 Kyrgyzstan 6,977 kmsq 2022 down 0.1% flat
35 Ethiopia 6,551 kmsq 2022 up 3.5% rising
36 Mexico 5,730 kmsq 2022 up 0.9% rising
37 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 5,042 kmsq 2022 down 2.5% rising
38 Australia 4,467 kmsq 2022 down 14.2% falling
39 Ukraine 3,927 kmsq 2022 down 2.6% rising
40 Germany 3,383 kmsq 2022 up 4.7% rising
41 Cambodia 3,365 kmsq 2022 up 0.8% rising
42 New Zealand 3,294 kmsq 2022 up 0.7% rising
43 Poland 3,109 kmsq 2022 up 1.8% rising
44 Myanmar 3,050 kmsq 2022 up 4.4% rising
45 Caribbean 3,008 kmsq 2022 up 13.6% rising
46 Melanesia 2,680 kmsq 2022 up 9.2% rising
47 Pakistan 2,660 kmsq 2022 up 25.4% rising
48 Vietnam 2,622 kmsq 2022 down 9.8% rising
48 Viet Nam 2,622 kmsq 2022 down 9.8% rising
50 France 2,536 kmsq 2022 up 4.5% rising
51 Papua New Guinea 2,482 kmsq 2022 up 5.2% rising
52 Philippines 2,413 kmsq 2022 down 3.0% flat
53 Thailand 2,233 kmsq 2022 down 0.6% rising
54 Estonia 2,018 kmsq 2022 up 0.1% rising
55 Egypt 1,967 kmsq 2022 up 4.5% falling
56 Iraq 1,963 kmsq 2022 up 49.0% rising
57 Italy 1,949 kmsq 2022 up 3.1% rising
58 Burundi 1,944 kmsq 2022 up 0.2% rising
59 United Kingdom 1,824 kmsq 2022 up 29.6% rising
59 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1,824 kmsq 2022 up 29.6% rising
61 Madagascar 1,816 kmsq 2022 down 9.5% flat
62 Ecuador 1,746 kmsq 2022 up 11.9% rising
63 Romania 1,679 kmsq 2022 up 1.9% rising
64 Nigeria 1,664 kmsq 2022 down 1.5% rising
65 Iceland 1,662 kmsq 2022 up 16.8% rising
66 Chad 1,649 kmsq 2022 up 25.5% rising
67 Bangladesh 1,633 kmsq 2022 up 2.2% flat
68 Congo 1,617 kmsq 2022 up 0.5% rising
69 Japan 1,589 kmsq 2022 down 2.3% falling
70 Gabon 1,582 kmsq 2022 up 13.0% rising
71 Rwanda 1,517 kmsq 2022 up 1.4% rising
72 South Africa 1,363 kmsq 2022 down 4.2% falling
73 Paraguay 1,336 kmsq 2022 up 5.6% flat
74 Armenia 1,318 kmsq 2022 up 0.6% rising
75 Switzerland 1,292 kmsq 2022 up 0.4% rising
76 Sudan 1,268 kmsq 2022 up 279.1% volatile
77 Cuba 1,248 kmsq 2022 up 13.9% rising
78 Tajikistan 1,170 kmsq 2022 up 1.3% rising
79 Hungary 1,141 kmsq 2022 up 3.8% rising
80 Bahamas 1,118 kmsq 2022 up 21.1% rising
81 Laos 1,074 kmsq 2022 up 14.2% rising
81 Lao People's Democratic Republic 1,074 kmsq 2022 up 14.2% rising
83 Guatemala 1,071 kmsq 2022 up 0.5% flat
84 Mali 1,006 kmsq 2022 up 8.6% rising
85 Ireland 897.73 kmsq 2022 up 34.7% rising
86 Uruguay 878.88 kmsq 2022 up 13.8% rising
87 Lithuania 860.7 kmsq 2022 up 3.3% rising
88 Latvia 790.47 kmsq 2022 up 2.1% rising
89 Cameroon 784.86 kmsq 2022 down 9.8% rising
90 Malaysia 714.64 kmsq 2022 down 6.4% flat
91 Greece 678.58 kmsq 2022 up 14.2% rising
92 Spain 594.42 kmsq 2022 up 2.2% rising
93 Angola 590.27 kmsq 2022 down 0.1% rising
94 Sri Lanka 572.71 kmsq 2022 up 8.5% rising
95 South Sudan 556.79 kmsq 2022 down 14.2% flat
96 Austria 554.32 kmsq 2022 up 1.7% rising
97 Afghanistan 545.74 kmsq 2022 down 7.7% volatile
98 Senegal 533.83 kmsq 2022 up 14.8% rising
99 Democratic People's Republic of Korea 523.46 kmsq 2022 down 2.2% rising
100 Honduras 478.48 kmsq 2022 up 14.4% rising
101 South Korea 464.72 kmsq 2022 up 6.7% falling
101 Republic of Korea 464.72 kmsq 2022 up 6.7% falling
103 North Macedonia 456.12 kmsq 2022 up 0.4% rising
104 Israel 451.4 kmsq 2022 down 0.2% rising
105 Central African Republic 445.78 kmsq 2022 up 3.5% rising
106 Jordan 435.81 kmsq 2022 down 2.9% rising
107 Denmark 433.28 kmsq 2022 up 4.6% rising
108 Guyana 419.19 kmsq 2022 up 13.7% rising
109 Serbia 417.67 kmsq 2022 up 0.3% rising
110 Bulgaria 415.52 kmsq 2022 up 0.5% rising
111 Zimbabwe 406.29 kmsq 2022 down 1.5% rising
112 Dominican Republic 387.09 kmsq 2022 up 2.6% rising
113 Czechia 358.69 kmsq 2022 up 6.9% rising
114 Syria 350.36 kmsq 2022 down 11.2% rising
114 Syrian Arab Republic 350.36 kmsq 2022 down 11.2% rising
116 Belize 303.01 kmsq 2022 down 1.6% flat
117 Niger 302.83 kmsq 2022 up 80.6% rising
118 Namibia 287.35 kmsq 2022 down 8.7% rising
119 French Southern Territories 279.14 kmsq 2022 up 18.3% rising
120 Benin 278.71 kmsq 2022 down 0.8% rising
121 Albania 240.56 kmsq 2022 up 7.5% rising
122 Moldova 236.1 kmsq 2022 down 3.2% rising
122 Republic of Moldova 236.1 kmsq 2022 down 3.2% rising
124 Georgia 231.19 kmsq 2022 up 2.9% rising
125 Botswana 229.17 kmsq 2022 up 124.1% volatile
126 Croatia 222.42 kmsq 2022 up 7.7% rising
127 Ghana 220.84 kmsq 2022 down 6.4% rising
128 Nepal 203.37 kmsq 2022 down 0.0% rising
129 Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands 200.2 kmsq 2022 — volatile
130 Portugal 187.41 kmsq 2022 up 7.8% rising
131 Polynesia 178.55 kmsq 2022 up 149.1% volatile
132 Cote d'Ivoire 169.33 kmsq 2022 down 6.8% rising
132 Côte d'Ivoire 169.33 kmsq 2022 down 6.8% rising
134 Suriname 167.55 kmsq 2022 up 3.0% rising
135 Haiti 166.27 kmsq 2022 down 2.7% rising
136 El Salvador 161.36 kmsq 2022 up 1.7% flat
137 Saudi Arabia 153.33 kmsq 2022 up 35.9% rising
138 Morocco 135.94 kmsq 2022 down 5.5% rising
139 Falkland Islands (Malvinas) 135.22 kmsq 2022 up 1.2% rising
140 Djibouti 131.14 kmsq 2022 down 10.8% rising
141 Solomon Islands 127.2 kmsq 2022 up 333.4% volatile
142 Belgium 119.49 kmsq 2022 up 7.4% rising
143 Burkina Faso 113.85 kmsq 2022 up 46.5% rising
144 Slovakia 105.52 kmsq 2022 up 5.3% rising
145 Gambia 102.77 kmsq 2022 up 14.2% rising
146 Bosnia and Herzegovina 98.96 kmsq 2022 up 6.8% rising
147 French Polynesia 98.79 kmsq 2022 up 339.8% volatile
148 Somalia 94.3 kmsq 2022 up 37.3% flat
149 Algeria 89.82 kmsq 2022 down 46.8% rising
150 Tunisia 86.73 kmsq 2022 up 14.5% rising
151 Sierra Leone 77.22 kmsq 2022 up 0.6% rising
152 Bhutan 75.03 kmsq 2022 down 3.9% rising
153 Mauritania 71.92 kmsq 2022 up 50.5% rising
154 Guinea 67.83 kmsq 2022 up 46.9% rising
155 Eritrea 66.83 kmsq 2022 up 60.7% rising
156 Yemen 65.01 kmsq 2022 up 29.9% rising
157 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 64.62 kmsq 2022 up 399.4% volatile
158 Tokelau 59.07 kmsq 2022 up 40.1% rising
159 French Guiana 53.97 kmsq 2022 up 26.1% rising
160 Guinea-Bissau 51.55 kmsq 2022 up 13.3% rising
161 Costa Rica 44.87 kmsq 2022 up 6.7% falling
162 Panama 44.76 kmsq 2022 down 2.0% rising
163 Libya 43.45 kmsq 2022 down 0.6% rising
164 Slovenia 41.79 kmsq 2022 up 16.0% rising
165 Oman 36.37 kmsq 2022 down 14.1% flat
166 New Caledonia 32.85 kmsq 2022 down 15.2% rising
167 Vanuatu 27.51 kmsq 2022 up 43.5% rising
168 Åland Islands 25.98 kmsq 2022 down 0.1% rising
169 Puerto Rico 25.83 kmsq 2022 up 25.9% rising
170 Liberia 21.6 kmsq 2022 down 10.8% rising
171 Equatorial Guinea 19.46 kmsq 2022 down 11.7% rising
172 Brunei 19.25 kmsq 2022 up 13.3% rising
172 Brunei Darussalam 19.25 kmsq 2022 up 13.3% rising
174 Montenegro 18.81 kmsq 2022 down 0.3% rising
175 Turks and Caicos Islands 17.47 kmsq 2022 up 5.2% rising
176 Tonga 16.64 kmsq 2022 up 232.5% volatile
177 Qatar 16.03 kmsq 2022 up 22.2% rising
178 Western Sahara 14.07 kmsq 2022 down 14.6% rising
179 Mauritius 13.6 kmsq 2022 down 1.0% rising
180 Jamaica 10.96 kmsq 2022 up 17.1% rising
181 Faroe Islands 10.57 kmsq 2022 — volatile
182 Togo 10.55 kmsq 2022 up 0.4% rising
183 Singapore 9.94 kmsq 2022 down 20.7% flat
184 Fiji 9.86 kmsq 2022 up 29.9% rising
185 Cyprus 7.97 kmsq 2022 up 36.4% rising
186 Eswatini 7.44 kmsq 2022 down 31.5% falling
187 Lesotho 7.2 kmsq 2022 down 24.2% falling
188 Micronesia 6.99 kmsq 2022 up 139.7% volatile
189 Cabo Verde 6.74 kmsq 2022 down 23.8% falling
190 Trinidad and Tobago 6.65 kmsq 2022 down 0.4% rising
191 Saint Martin (French Part) 5.49 kmsq 2022 up 1.7% rising
192 Reunion 5.03 kmsq 2022 up 73.3% rising
192 Réunion 5.03 kmsq 2022 up 73.3% rising
194 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4.78 kmsq 2022 up 4.4% flat
195 British Virgin Islands 4.64 kmsq 2022 up 4.1% rising
196 Cayman Islands 3.66 kmsq 2022 up 43.4% rising
197 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 3.56 kmsq 2022 up 1.5% rising
198 East Timor 3.56 kmsq 2022 down 31.6% falling
198 Timor-Leste 3.56 kmsq 2022 down 31.6% falling
200 Bahrain 3.54 kmsq 2022 up 8.6% falling
201 Curacao 2.99 kmsq 2022 down 5.6% falling
201 Curaçao 2.99 kmsq 2022 down 5.6% falling
203 Luxembourg 2.81 kmsq 2022 up 1.9% rising
204 Antigua and Barbuda 2.63 kmsq 2022 down 3.5% rising
205 Samoa 2.59 kmsq 2022 up 60.5% rising
206 Lebanon 2.21 kmsq 2022 down 8.0% falling
207 Micronesia (Federated States of) 2.18 kmsq 2022 up 99.2% rising
208 Comoros 2.09 kmsq 2022 up 13.3% rising
209 Northern Mariana Islands 2.02 kmsq 2022 up 178.5% volatile
210 United States Virgin Islands 1.45 kmsq 2022 down 4.6% rising
211 Mayotte 1.41 kmsq 2022 down 3.4% rising
212 Anguilla 1.38 kmsq 2022 down 5.1% rising
213 Seychelles 1.31 kmsq 2022 up 5.0% rising
214 Bermuda 1.15 kmsq 2022 up 16.0% rising
215 Guernsey 0.9716 kmsq 2022 up 32.7% rising
216 Kiribati 0.9397 kmsq 2022 up 499.6% volatile
217 Martinique 0.7914 kmsq 2022 down 4.8% rising
218 Liechtenstein 0.7686 kmsq 2022 up 18.4% rising
219 Isle of Man 0.7197 kmsq 2022 up 27.6% rising
220 Palau 0.6476 kmsq 2022 up 34.6% rising
221 Wallis and Futuna Islands 0.6434 kmsq 2022 up 2,128.7% volatile
222 Guam 0.6195 kmsq 2022 up 164.3% rising
223 Jersey 0.5497 kmsq 2022 up 30.7% rising
224 Marshall Islands 0.5356 kmsq 2022 up 140.3% rising
225 Andorra 0.5158 kmsq 2022 down 19.3% rising
226 Aruba 0.4592 kmsq 2022 up 1.3% flat
227 American Samoa 0.4506 kmsq 2022 up 36.8% rising
228 Guadeloupe 0.4166 kmsq 2022 down 9.9% rising
229 Grenada 0.3444 kmsq 2022 up 22.1% rising
230 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.2388 kmsq 2022 down 18.8% falling
231 Saint Lucia 0.213 kmsq 2022 down 1.1% rising
232 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.2051 kmsq 2022 down 1.9% rising
233 Saint Helena 0.2 kmsq 2022 — volatile
234 Malta 0.1984 kmsq 2022 down 58.1% rising
235 Cook Islands 0.1572 kmsq 2022 up 324.0% volatile
236 Saint Barthélemy 0.1474 kmsq 2022 down 7.0% rising
237 Niue 0.1085 kmsq 2022 — volatile
238 Tuvalu 0.0985 kmsq 2022 up 261.8% volatile
239 Monaco 0.0835 kmsq 2022 up 22.2% rising
240 Nauru 0.0444 kmsq 2022 — volatile
240 Naoero 0.0444 kmsq 2022 — volatile
242 Gibraltar 0.0357 kmsq 2022 down 7.6% flat
243 Barbados 0.0295 kmsq 2022 up 3.6% rising
244 Montserrat 0.0114 kmsq 2022 down 96.5% volatile
245 Christmas Island 0.0109 kmsq 2022 — volatile
246 Dominica 0.0078 kmsq 2022 down 36.3% falling
247 Norfolk Island 0.0013 kmsq 2022 — volatile
248 Sao Tome and Principe 0.0004 kmsq 2022 — volatile
249 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 0.0003 kmsq 2022 — volatile
250 San Marino 0.0003 kmsq 2022 — volatile
251 Pitcairn 0.0002 kmsq 2022 — volatile

Regions and income groups

Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.

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Lakes and rivers permanent water area by country. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 30 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/lakes-and-rivers-permanent-water-area-square-kilometres/

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About this data

Indicator
Lakes and rivers permanent water area (square kilometres)
Unit
kmsq
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
292 places, 6,714 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed