Lakes and rivers seasonal water area change in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Lakes and rivers seasonal water area change was 60.2% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Lakes and rivers seasonal water area change in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2005–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, lakes and rivers seasonal water area change in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 60.2%. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.9% on the previous year and up 684.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers seasonal water area change in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 60.2% in 2022 and was at its lowest, -9.7%, in 2007.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 9th of 39 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Lakes and rivers seasonal water area change in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | -5.6% | — |
| 2006 | -7.9% | +39.9% |
| 2007 | -9.7% | +22.8% |
| 2008 | -5.2% | -45.8% |
| 2009 | -2.7% | -49.2% |
| 2010 | 0.8% | -131.8% |
| 2011 | 6.9% | +716.0% |
| 2012 | 7.7% | +11.2% |
| 2013 | 6.2% | -19.5% |
| 2014 | 9.0% | +45.8% |
| 2015 | 13.7% | +52.3% |
| 2016 | 17.0% | +24.0% |
| 2017 | 27.0% | +58.8% |
| 2018 | 35.4% | +31.2% |
| 2019 | 43.7% | +23.3% |
| 2020 | 46.1% | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 56.8% | +23.4% |
| 2022 | 60.2% | +5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | -6.2% | -9.7% | -2.7% | 5 |
| 2010s | 16.7% | 0.8% | 43.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.4% | 46.1% | 60.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 6 Kiribati 396.6% compare
- 7 Wallis and Futuna Islands 389.9% compare
- 8 Monaco 388.0% compare
- 9 Gibraltar 348.9% compare
- 10 Andorra 257.1% compare
- 11 Marshall Islands 241.7% compare
- 12 French Polynesia 240.9% compare
More environment data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.11 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.223 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.21 °C (2025)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 305.43 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Aquaculture production 904,662 metric tons (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 2.29 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Transport (Energy) 2.96 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Permanent meadows and pastures — Share in Agricultural land 72.81 % (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers seasonal water area change in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Lakes and rivers seasonal water area change in Sub-Saharan Africa was 60.2% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest lakes and rivers seasonal water area change recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 60.2% in 2022.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers seasonal water area change recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -9.7% in 2007.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for lakes and rivers seasonal water area change?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 9th out of 39 groups with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers seasonal water area change rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 684.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Lakes and rivers seasonal water area change (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 18 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).