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Progress on Water-Related Ecosystems

Protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems will mitigate and strengthen resilience to climate change. For instance, wetlands trap carbon from the atmosphere and protect coastal areas from storm surges and inland areas from both floods and droughts by retaining water.

  • 4 % of the world’s water basins is experiencing rapid changes in the area covered by permanent surface waters (SDG 6 indicator 6.6.1, 2022)

Available time series: 2000-2022
Number of countries (and areas) reporting in the last five years: 231
Proportion of world population covered by reporting in the last five years: 89%

Proportion of world land area covered by reporting in the last five years: 80%
Learn more about the indicator here 
Read the latest progress report here

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SDG target 6.6 is: ‘By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.’

To track progress towards the target, indicator 6.6.1 tracks changes over time in water-related ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, wetlands and mangroves, with the help of earth observations.

Change in permanent surface water extent compared to baseline period 2000-2019, by country (data from ----) ©

In XX countries (and areas), representing XX% of global land area and XX% of global population, more than 10% of permanent lakes and rivers has been lost compared to the baseline period.

In XX countries (and areas), representing XX% of global land area and XX% of global population, more than 25% of permanent lakes and rivers has been lost compared to the baseline period.

Percentage change compared to baseline (%)
>28.13
13.58 - 28.13
6.54 - 13.58
0.38 - 6.54
<0.38
Data Not Available
Not Applicable

Change in seasonal surface water extent compared to baseline period 2000-2019, by country (data from ----) ©

Increases in seasonal lakes and rivers can be a sign of floods. In XX countries (and areas), representing XX% of global land area and XX% of global population, seasonal lakes and rivers have increased by more than 100% compared to the baseline period.

Decreases in seasonal lakes and rivers can be a sign of droughts. In XX countries (and areas), representing XX% of global land area and XX% of global population, seasonal lakes and rivers have decreased by more than 10% compared to the baseline period.

Percentage change compared to baseline (%)
>121.16
80.47 - 121.16
56.26 - 80.47
41.03 - 56.26
24.09 - 41.03
<24.09
Data Not Available
Not Applicable

Change in mangrove extent compared to 2000, by country (data from ----) ©

In XX countries (and areas), representing XX% of global land area and XX% of global population, more than 10% of mangroves has been lost since 2000.

Percentage change compared to baseline (%)
>0.29
-0.5 - 0.29
-2.39 - -0.5
-5.81 - -2.39
<-5.81
Data Not Available
Not Applicable

Maximum and minimum river flow and change compared to baseline period 2000-2019, by region (data from XXXX)

Globally, the maximum river flow has increased with XX% and the minimum river flow has increased with XX%, compared to the baseline period.

Proportion of large lakes with high change in turbidity and trophic state compared to baseline period 2006-2020, by region (data from XXXX) ©

In the world there are XX large lakes that are monitored, of which XX% has a high increase in turbidity and XX% has a high increase in trophic state, compared to the baseline period. Turbidity and trophic state are signs of water pollution and overfertilization.

15.1.2 Proportion of important sites for biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type and region (data from 2021) ©

Source data indicator 6.6.1 Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time

Country (or area), regional and world data for the latest year of reporting (data from 2017 - 2022):

Country (or area), region, worldYear6.6.1 Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time
Surface water extent > Permanent Surface water extent > Seasonal Inland vegetated wetland extent Mangrove extent
Afghanistan2017-2022545.742086.860.25
Albania2017-2022240.5699.70.19
Algeria2017-202289.822050.790.14
American Samoa2017-20220.450.740.65-1.68
Andorra2017-20220.520.290.88
Angola2017-2022590.274584.594.78-3.3
Anguilla2017-20221.381.291.07-13.51
Antigua and Barbuda2017-20222.635.10.921.02
Argentina2017-202225228.628440.444.38
Armenia2017-20221318.0338.150.09
Aruba2017-20220.462.930.24-16.55
Australia2017-20224467.4650627.047.96-4.54
Australia and New Zealand2017-20227761.3151211.357.84-4.37
Austria2017-2022554.3299.50.25
Azerbaijan2017-202278372.19813.060.26
Bahamas2017-20221117.522031.237.05-8.81
Bahrain2017-20223.5411.630.19-6.9
Bangladesh2017-20221633.216395.8557.70.82
Barbados2017-20220.030.663.058.76
Belgium2017-2022119.4950.490.19
Belize2017-2022303.01283.067.69-3.7
Benin2017-2022278.71214.223.01-1.19
Bermuda2017-20221.150.4600
Bhutan2017-202275.0364.560.08
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)2017-20229381.916810.596.49
Bosnia and Herzegovina2017-202298.9690.540.09
Botswana2017-2022229.174690.823.08
Brazil2017-202261477.0843922.092.52-0.52
British Indian Ocean Territory201765.71
British Virgin Islands2017-20224.643.9229.285.91
Brunei Darussalam2017-202219.2523.933.250.3
Bulgaria2017-2022415.52143.520.22
Burkina Faso2017-2022113.85539.131.12
Burundi2017-20221943.9726.360.91
Cabo Verde2017-20226.7428.030
Cambodia2017-20223364.5911703.6616.61-3.04
Cameroon2017-2022784.861243.032.910.33
Canada2022916376.9699000.95
Cayman Islands2017-20223.666.2113.44-4.17
Central African Republic2017-2022445.78447.760.88
Central and Southern Asia2017-2022334282.22176774.982.4-3.01
Chad2017-20221648.753536.261.26
Chile2017-202211250.891864.081.74
China2017-2022101750.781085.720.66-11.91
China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region2017-202218.1220.880.43
China, Macao Special Administrative Region2017-20221.351.720.3
Christmas Island2017-20220.010.40
Cocos (Keeling) Islands2017-2022000
Colombia2017-20227157.327788.345.1-2.52
Comoros2017-20222.095.130.10.26
Congo2017-20221616.541070.6826.81-0.33
Cook Islands2017-20220.160.2300
Costa Rica2017-202244.87130.720.76-2.18
Croatia2017-2022222.42200.190.33
Cuba2017-20221247.851301.82.9-7.51
Curaçao2020-20222.996.87-0.21
Cyprus2017-20227.9716.880.78
Czechia2017-2022358.69123.40.16
Côte d'Ivoire2017-2022169.33495.611.38-5.82
Democratic People's Republic of Korea2017-2022523.46844.470.18
Democratic Republic of the Congo2017-202235992.575374.9810.11-0.49
Denmark2017-2022433.28104.250.91
Djibouti2017-2022131.14349.10.18-15.61
Dominica2017-20220.010.560.4410.91
Dominican Republic2017-2022387.09124.350.9-2.33
Eastern and South-Eastern Asia2017-2022142443.08151679.362.42-4.88
Ecuador2017-20221746.431576.671.3-3.67
Egypt2017-20221966.722239.762.43-23.94
El Salvador2017-2022161.3660.390.32-0.88
Equatorial Guinea2017-202219.4629.021.78-0.15
Eritrea2017-202266.83290.440.3-16.55
Estonia2017-20222017.71141.544.23
Eswatini2017-20227.4413.080.93
Ethiopia2017-20226551.112286.812.83
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)2017-2022135.2246.290.26
Faroe Islands2017-202210.576.730
Fiji2017-20229.8631.851.480.5
Finland202222408.112123
France2017-20222535.621140.780.33
French Guiana2017-202253.9797.492.015.93
French Polynesia2017-202298.7918.480.282.44
Gabon2017-20221582.02646.972.3-0.71
Gambia2017-2022102.76155.076.740.33
Georgia2017-2022231.19153.220.13
Germany20223382.61706.19
Ghana2017-2022220.84621.823.99-0.64
Gibraltar2017-20220.040.060
Greece2017-2022678.58259.830.16
Greenland2017-202217315.941313.460.57
Grenada2017-20220.341.030.02-0.41
Guadeloupe2017-20220.422.190.880.1
Guam2017-20220.620.7513.730.73
Guatemala2017-20221070.86340.150.65-0.14
Guernsey2017-20220.970.850.14
Guinea2017-202267.83747.371.8-2.95
Guinea-Bissau2017-202251.55357.665.11-1.99
Guyana2017-2022419.19896.716.09-6.32
Haiti2017-2022166.2779.251.64-7.67
Heard Island and McDonald Islands2017-2022000
Holy See2017-2022000
Honduras2017-2022478.48556.424.24-2.97
Hungary2017-20221140.91285.860.69
Iceland2017-20221661.94244.670.94
India2017-20228260.2862015.232.65-1.78
Indonesia2017-20228730.5512278.1910.27-5.56
Iran (Islamic Republic of)2017-202259506.3412384.790.5-21.67
Iraq2017-20221963.156227.40.86
Ireland2017-2022897.73165.734.94
Isle of Man2017-20220.721.042.19
Israel2017-2022451.452.282.27
Italy2017-20221949.36838.360.31
Jamaica2017-202210.9619.230.77-5.74
Japan2017-20221589.1110910.86-0.47
Jersey2017-20220.550.480.43
Jordan2017-2022435.81111.650.07
Kazakhstan2017-2022155466.9950253.530.73
Kenya2017-20227913.86777.480.74-1.02
Kiribati2017-20220.942.0700
Kuwait2017-202226.16179.70.2
Kyrgyzstan2017-20226977.32387.610.16
Lao People's Democratic Republic2017-20221074.28970.530.59
Latin America and the Caribbean2017-2022156314.54137852.653.46-2.82
Latvia2017-2022790.47341.712.79
Lebanon2017-20222.218.431.11
Lesotho2017-20227.242.340.01
Liberia2017-202221.6108.062.56-1.85
Libya2017-202243.45542.640.06
Liechtenstein2017-20220.770.240.97
Lithuania2017-2022860.7290.011
Luxembourg2017-20222.811.840.03
Madagascar2017-20221816.34408.532.92-1.8
Malawi2017-202223500.4651.452.07
Malaysia2017-2022714.641137.311.95-1.3
Maldives20200
Mali2017-20221006.167892.461.53
Malta2017-20220.20.840
Marshall Islands2017-20220.541.5100
Martinique2017-20220.791.650.381.02
Mauritania2017-202271.921365.660.225.8
Mauritius2017-202213.66.141.82-21.92
Mayotte2017-20221.411.230.24-0.11
Mexico2017-20225729.7411140.451.46-4.26
Micronesia (Federated States of)2017-20222.182.120
Monaco2017-20220.080.050
Mongolia2017-202213861.43087.580.13
Montenegro2017-202218.8175.980.52
Montserrat2017-20220.010.550.63
Morocco2017-2022135.94288.630.36
Mozambique2017-20228223.13030.71.84-4.99
Myanmar2017-20223049.5310797.431.99-6.63
Namibia2017-2022287.354601.620.6
Nauru2017-20220.040.190
Nepal2017-2022203.37608.90.81
New Caledonia2017-202232.8564.637.041.23
New Zealand2017-20223293.84583.914.382
Nicaragua2017-20229326.12750.34.77-2.06
Niger2017-2022302.831337.920.23
Nigeria2017-20221663.915592.764.63-1.88
Niue2017-20220.110.010
Norfolk Island2017-2022000
North Macedonia2017-2022456.1216.910.22
Northern Africa and Western Asia2017-202294245.5221395.710.41
Northern Mariana Islands2017-20222.023.572.76
Norway2017-202212156.671329.072.75
Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand)2017-20222865.052242.5812.83-0.72
Oman2017-202236.37327.040.02-14.7
Pakistan2017-20222660.3415286.495.54-17.21
Palau2017-20220.650.4800.46
Panama2017-202244.76212.240.73-1.45
Papua New Guinea2017-20222482.082066.4614.45-1.07
Paraguay2017-20221335.992254.438.8
Peru2017-202211807.626773.762.98-3.2
Philippines2017-20222413.232017.983.46-2.71
Pitcairn2017-202200.10
Poland2017-20223109.1882.10.68
Portugal2017-2022187.41198.050.26
Puerto Rico2017-202225.8334.820.13-3.1
Qatar2017-202216.0366.780.16.02
Republic of Korea2017-2022464.72663.320.1
Republic of Moldova2017-2022236.1122.480.53
Romania2017-20221679.24851.031.45
Russian Federation2017-2022425203.6176161.977.83
Rwanda2017-20221517.0559.212.2
Saint Helena2017-20220.20.40.29
Saint Kitts and Nevis2017-20220.210.7102.35
Saint Lucia2017-20220.211.510.02-0.37
Saint Martin (French Part)2020-20225.491.09-11.09
Saint Pierre and Miquelon2017-20224.781.3216.4
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines2017-20220.241.070.081.17
Samoa2017-20222.592.340.16-0.76
San Marino2017-2022000
Sao Tome and Principe2017-2022000.80
Saudi Arabia2017-2022153.33928.930.01-22.98
Senegal2017-2022533.832048.81.490.29
Serbia2017-2022417.67186.540.15
Seychelles2017-20221.313.8211.5-0.03
Sierra Leone2017-202277.22381.513.88-4.46
Singapore2017-20229.9416.682.26-13.17
Sint Maarten (Dutch part)2020-20223.5610
Slovakia2017-2022105.5255.080.15
Slovenia2017-202241.7936.350.18
Solomon Islands2017-2022127.225.16.52-0.15
Somalia2017-202294.3710.10.41-4.47
South Africa2017-20221362.511913.010.53.01
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands2017-202264.6215.430
South Sudan2017-2022556.791817.9321.22
Spain2017-2022594.421020.050.21
Sri Lanka2017-2022572.711063.679.02-23.15
Sub-Saharan Africa2017-2022140659.2877320.483.35-2.13
Sudan2017-20221268.151959.731.1-46.97
Suriname2017-2022167.55344.695.095.34
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands2017-2022200.213.460.15
Switzerland2017-20221292.3552.220.34
Syrian Arab Republic2017-2022350.36595.290.84
Tajikistan2017-20221169.58640.451.15
Thailand2017-20222232.888462.185.6-2.7
Timor-Leste2017-20223.5661.991.270.33
Togo2017-202210.5578.961.08-7.06
Tokelau2017-202259.070.060
Tonga2017-202216.644.082.01-1.15
Trinidad and Tobago2017-20226.6513.644.05-1.01
Tunisia2017-202286.731019.341.93
Turkmenistan2017-202288527.066817.621.14
Turks and Caicos Islands2017-202217.4728.382.23-21.06
Tuvalu2017-20220.10.1100
Türkiye2017-20227172.153164.170.29
Uganda2017-20227921.12654.893.26
Ukraine2017-20223927.452266.880.9
United Arab Emirates2017-20200.05-1.82
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland2017-20221823.55432.495.58
United Republic of Tanzania2017-202221613.334511.322.63-2.56
United States Virgin Islands2017-20221.453.694.09-1.24
United States of America2017-2022252790.7976485.517.4-2.95
Uruguay2017-2022878.871124.031.58
Uzbekistan2017-20228683.778768.521.77
Vanuatu2017-202227.5116.963.78-2.43
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)2017-20225041.788748.968.82-0.06
Viet Nam2017-20222621.7617414.7912.56-4.72
Wallis and Futuna Islands2017-20220.640.7400
Western Sahara2017-202214.07134.750.04
World2017-20222585526.57990821.444.37-3.43
Yemen2017-202265.01303.750.16-18.35
Zambia2017-20229106.487043.747.84
Zimbabwe2017-2022406.29519.950.56
Åland Islands202225.9810.73