Lakes and rivers seasonal water area in Africa
Africa: Lakes and rivers seasonal water area was 0.3% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Lakes and rivers seasonal water area in Africa, 2000–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lakes and rivers seasonal water area in Africa is 0.3%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 45.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers seasonal water area in Africa peaked at 0.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2000.
Africa ranks 31st of 37 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Lakes and rivers seasonal water area in Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.1% | — |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +20.7% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | +29.3% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | +15.5% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | +7.8% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | +9.3% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | +6.9% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | +2.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Lakes and rivers seasonal water area in Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +29.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Africa
- 28 Belize 1.2% compare
- 29 Cuba 1.2% compare
- 30 Antigua and Barbuda 1.2% compare
- 31 United States Virgin Islands 1.1% compare
- 32 Senegal 1.0% compare
- 33 Russian Federation 1.0% compare
- 33 Russian Federation 1.0% compare
More environment data for Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Temperature change 1.32 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.213 °C (2025)
- Primary wood and paper products (export/import) — Export value 5.54 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Roundwood, coniferous — Production 32.26 million m3 (2024)
- Roundwood — Export value 714,851 1000 USD (2024)
- Roundwood — Export quantity 3.78 million m3 (2024)
- Roundwood — Import value 182,147 1000 USD (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers seasonal water area in Africa?
- Lakes and rivers seasonal water area in Africa was 0.3% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest lakes and rivers seasonal water area recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers seasonal water area recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2000.
- How does Africa rank for lakes and rivers seasonal water area?
- Africa ranks 31st out of 37 groups with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers seasonal water area rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this 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 (% 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).