Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Middle Africa

Middle Africa: Lakes and rivers permanent water area was 42,680 in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
42,680
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
7th
of 24 regions
All-time high
42,680
in 2022
All-time low
28,088
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022

Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Middle Africa, 2000–2022

010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k2000201120222000: 28.1k2001: 29.9k2002: 34.4k2003: 38.6k2004: 41.6k2005: 41.8k2006: 41.7k2007: 41.6k2008: 41.6k2009: 41.4k2010: 41.8k2011: 41.8k2012: 41.9k2013: 41.9k2014: 42.0k2015: 42.0k2016: 42.1k2017: 42.0k2018: 42.1k2019: 42.3k2020: 42.3k2021: 42.4k2022: 42.7k

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for lakes and rivers permanent water area in Middle Africa is 42,680, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area in Middle Africa peaked at 42,680 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 28,088, in 2000.

Middle Africa ranks 7th of 24 regions 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 Middle Africa, year by year

Annual values for Lakes and rivers permanent water area (square kilometres) in Middle Africa, 2000 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2000 28,088
2001 29,930 +6.6%
2002 34,427 +15.0%
2003 38,630 +12.2%
2004 41,596 +7.7%
2005 41,818 +0.5%
2006 41,737 -0.2%
2007 41,602 -0.3%
2008 41,556 -0.1%
2009 41,440 -0.3%
2010 41,753 +0.8%
2011 41,803 +0.1%
2012 41,898 +0.2%
2013 41,885 -0.0%
2014 41,983 +0.2%
2015 42,009 +0.1%
2016 42,053 +0.1%
2017 41,980 -0.2%
2018 42,106 +0.3%
2019 42,310 +0.5%
2020 42,322 +0.0%
2021 42,405 +0.2%
2022 42,680 +0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 38,082 28,088 41,818 10
2010s 41,978 41,753 42,310 10
2020s 42,469 42,322 42,680 3

Countries ranked near Middle Africa

  1. 4 China 101,751 compare
  2. 5 Turkmenistan 88,527 compare
  3. 6 Azerbaijan 78,372 compare
  4. 7 Brazil 61,477 compare
  5. 8 Argentina 25,229 compare
  6. 9 Malawi 23,500 compare
  7. 10 Finland 22,408 compare

See the full ranking of 277 places →

More environment data for Middle Africa

All data for Middle Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is lakes and rivers permanent water area in Middle Africa?
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Middle Africa was 42,680 in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Middle Africa?
The highest recorded value was 42,680 in 2022.
What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Middle Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 28,088 in 2000.
How does Middle Africa rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area?
Middle Africa ranks 7th out of 24 regions with data for 2022.
Is lakes and rivers permanent water area rising or falling in Middle Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Middle Africa data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Lakes and rivers permanent water area (square kilometres). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Middle Africa. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/lakes-and-rivers-permanent-water-area-square-kilometres/middle-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Lakes and rivers permanent water area (square kilometres)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
277 places, 6,369 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed