Lakes and rivers permanent water area in World
World: Lakes and rivers permanent water area was 2.59 million kmsq in 2022. β² Rising
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in World, 2000β2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in kmsq.
Analysis
In 2022, lakes and rivers permanent water area in World stood at 2.59 million kmsq. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area in World peaked at 2.59 million kmsq in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.98 million kmsq, in 2000.
That places World 1st out of 42 groups 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.41 million kmsq | 1.98 million kmsq | 2.55 million kmsq | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.55 million kmsq | 2.53 million kmsq | 2.58 million kmsq | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.58 million kmsq | 2.58 million kmsq | 2.59 million kmsq | 3 |
Countries ranked near World
- 1 Canada 916,377 kmsq compare
- 2 Russian Federation 425,204 kmsq compare
- 3 Kazakhstan 155,467 kmsq compare
- 4 China 101,751 kmsq compare
More environment data for World
- Standard Deviation 0.208 Β°C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.88 Β°C (2025)
- Recovered paper β Production 241.28 million t (2024)
- Total fibre furnish β Production 431.35 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import value 4.18 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import quantity 1.50 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Export value 68.53 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Export quantity 76.62 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Import value 71.11 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Import quantity 77.03 million t (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers permanent water area in World?
- Lakes and rivers permanent water area in World was 2.59 million kmsq in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 2.59 million kmsq in 2022.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.98 million kmsq in 2000.
- How does World rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area?
- World ranks 1st out of 42 groups with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers permanent water area rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this World 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.
Download this data
CSV Β· JSON β 23 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).