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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 Samoa2020-20220.450.74-1.68-1.68
Andorra2017-20220.520.290.88
Angola2020-2022590.274584.59-3.3-3.3
Anguilla2020-20221.381.29-13.51-13.51
Antigua and Barbuda2020-20222.635.11.021.02
Argentina2017-202225228.628440.444.38
Armenia2017-20221318.0338.150.09
Aruba2020-20220.462.93-16.55-16.55
Australia2020-20224467.4650627.04-4.54-4.54
Australia and New Zealand2020-20227761.3151211.35-4.37-4.37
Austria2017-2022554.3299.50.25
Azerbaijan2017-202278372.19813.060.26
Bahamas2020-20221117.522031.23-8.81-8.81
Bahrain2020-20223.5411.63-6.9-6.9
Bangladesh2020-20221633.216395.850.820.82
Barbados2020-20220.030.68.768.76
Belgium2017-2022119.4950.490.19
Belize2020-2022303.01283.06-3.7-3.7
Benin2020-2022278.71214.22-1.19-1.19
Bermuda2020-20221.150.4600
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
Brazil2020-202261477.0843922.09-0.52-0.52
British Indian Ocean Territory201765.71
British Virgin Islands2020-20224.643.925.915.91
Brunei Darussalam2020-202219.2523.930.30.3
Bulgaria2017-2022415.52143.520.22
Burkina Faso2017-2022113.85539.131.12
Burundi2017-20221943.9726.360.91
Cabo Verde2017-20226.7428.030
Cambodia2020-20223364.5911703.66-3.04-3.04
Cameroon2020-2022784.861243.030.330.33
Canada2022916376.9699000.95
Cayman Islands2020-20223.666.21-4.17-4.17
Central African Republic2017-2022445.78447.760.88
Central and Southern Asia2020-2022334282.22176774.98-3.01-3.01
Chad2017-20221648.753536.261.26
Chile2017-202211250.891864.081.74
China2020-2022101750.781085.72-11.91-11.91
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
Colombia2020-20227157.327788.34-2.52-2.52
Comoros2020-20222.095.130.260.26
Congo2020-20221616.541070.68-0.33-0.33
Cook Islands2020-20220.160.2300
Costa Rica2020-202244.87130.72-2.18-2.18
Croatia2017-2022222.42200.190.33
Cuba2020-20221247.851301.8-7.51-7.51
Curaçao2020-20222.996.87-0.21-0.21
Cyprus2017-20227.9716.880.78
Czechia2017-2022358.69123.40.16
Côte d'Ivoire2020-2022169.33495.61-5.82-5.82
Democratic People's Republic of Korea2017-2022523.46844.470.18
Democratic Republic of the Congo2020-202235992.575374.98-0.49-0.49
Denmark2017-2022433.28104.250.91
Djibouti2020-2022131.14349.1-15.61-15.61
Dominica2020-20220.010.5610.9110.91
Dominican Republic2020-2022387.09124.35-2.33-2.33
Eastern and South-Eastern Asia2020-2022142443.08151679.36-4.88-4.88
Ecuador2020-20221746.431576.67-3.67-3.67
Egypt2020-20221966.722239.76-23.94-23.94
El Salvador2020-2022161.3660.39-0.88-0.88
Equatorial Guinea2020-202219.4629.02-0.15-0.15
Eritrea2020-202266.83290.44-16.55-16.55
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
Fiji2020-20229.8631.850.50.5
Finland202222408.112123
France2017-20222535.621140.780.33
French Guiana2020-202253.9797.495.935.93
French Polynesia2020-202298.7918.482.442.44
Gabon2020-20221582.02646.97-0.71-0.71
Gambia2020-2022102.76155.070.330.33
Georgia2017-2022231.19153.220.13
Germany20223382.61706.19
Ghana2020-2022220.84621.82-0.64-0.64
Gibraltar2017-20220.040.060
Greece2017-2022678.58259.830.16
Greenland2017-202217315.941313.460.57
Grenada2020-20220.341.03-0.41-0.41
Guadeloupe2020-20220.422.190.10.1
Guam2020-20220.620.750.730.73
Guatemala2020-20221070.86340.15-0.14-0.14
Guernsey2017-20220.970.850.14
Guinea2020-202267.83747.37-2.95-2.95
Guinea-Bissau2020-202251.55357.66-1.99-1.99
Guyana2020-2022419.19896.71-6.32-6.32
Haiti2020-2022166.2779.25-7.67-7.67
Heard Island and McDonald Islands2017-2022000
Holy See2017-2022000
Honduras2020-2022478.48556.42-2.97-2.97
Hungary2017-20221140.91285.860.69
Iceland2017-20221661.94244.670.94
India2020-20228260.2862015.23-1.78-1.78
Indonesia2020-20228730.5512278.19-5.56-5.56
Iran (Islamic Republic of)2020-202259506.3412384.79-21.67-21.67
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
Jamaica2020-202210.9619.23-5.74-5.74
Japan2020-20221589.111091-0.47-0.47
Jersey2017-20220.550.480.43
Jordan2017-2022435.81111.650.07
Kazakhstan2017-2022155466.9950253.530.73
Kenya2020-20227913.86777.48-1.02-1.02
Kiribati2020-20220.942.0700
Kuwait2017-202226.16179.70.2
Kyrgyzstan2017-20226977.32387.610.16
Lao People's Democratic Republic2017-20221074.28970.530.59
Latin America and the Caribbean2020-2022156314.54137852.65-2.82-2.82
Latvia2017-2022790.47341.712.79
Lebanon2017-20222.218.431.11
Lesotho2017-20227.242.340.01
Liberia2020-202221.6108.06-1.85-1.85
Libya2017-202243.45542.640.06
Liechtenstein2017-20220.770.240.97
Lithuania2017-2022860.7290.011
Luxembourg2017-20222.811.840.03
Madagascar2020-20221816.34408.53-1.8-1.8
Malawi2017-202223500.4651.452.07
Malaysia2020-2022714.641137.31-1.3-1.3
Maldives202000
Mali2017-20221006.167892.461.53
Malta2017-20220.20.840
Marshall Islands2020-20220.541.5100
Martinique2020-20220.791.651.021.02
Mauritania2020-202271.921365.665.85.8
Mauritius2020-202213.66.14-21.92-21.92
Mayotte2020-20221.411.23-0.11-0.11
Mexico2020-20225729.7411140.45-4.26-4.26
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
Mozambique2020-20228223.13030.7-4.99-4.99
Myanmar2020-20223049.5310797.43-6.63-6.63
Namibia2017-2022287.354601.620.6
Nauru2017-20220.040.190
Nepal2017-2022203.37608.90.81
New Caledonia2020-202232.8564.631.231.23
New Zealand2020-20223293.84583.9122
Nicaragua2020-20229326.12750.3-2.06-2.06
Niger2017-2022302.831337.920.23
Nigeria2020-20221663.915592.76-1.88-1.88
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)2020-20222865.052242.58-0.72-0.72
Oman2020-202236.37327.04-14.7-14.7
Pakistan2020-20222660.3415286.49-17.21-17.21
Palau2020-20220.650.480.460.46
Panama2020-202244.76212.24-1.45-1.45
Papua New Guinea2020-20222482.082066.46-1.07-1.07
Paraguay2017-20221335.992254.438.8
Peru2020-202211807.626773.76-3.2-3.2
Philippines2020-20222413.232017.98-2.71-2.71
Pitcairn2017-202200.10
Poland2017-20223109.1882.10.68
Portugal2017-2022187.41198.050.26
Puerto Rico2020-202225.8334.82-3.1-3.1
Qatar2020-202216.0366.786.026.02
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 Nevis2020-20220.210.712.352.35
Saint Lucia2020-20220.211.51-0.37-0.37
Saint Martin (French Part)2020-20225.491.09-11.09-11.09
Saint Pierre and Miquelon2017-20224.781.3216.4
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines2020-20220.241.071.171.17
Samoa2020-20222.592.34-0.76-0.76
San Marino2017-2022000
Sao Tome and Principe2020-20220000
Saudi Arabia2020-2022153.33928.93-22.98-22.98
Senegal2020-2022533.832048.80.290.29
Serbia2017-2022417.67186.540.15
Seychelles2020-20221.313.82-0.03-0.03
Sierra Leone2020-202277.22381.51-4.46-4.46
Singapore2020-20229.9416.68-13.17-13.17
Sint Maarten (Dutch part)2020-20223.56100
Slovakia2017-2022105.5255.080.15
Slovenia2017-202241.7936.350.18
Solomon Islands2020-2022127.225.1-0.15-0.15
Somalia2020-202294.3710.1-4.47-4.47
South Africa2020-20221362.511913.013.013.01
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands2017-202264.6215.430
South Sudan2017-2022556.791817.9321.22
Spain2017-2022594.421020.050.21
Sri Lanka2020-2022572.711063.67-23.15-23.15
Sub-Saharan Africa2020-2022140659.2877320.48-2.13-2.13
Sudan2020-20221268.151959.73-46.97-46.97
Suriname2020-2022167.55344.695.345.34
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
Thailand2020-20222232.888462.18-2.7-2.7
Timor-Leste2020-20223.5661.990.330.33
Togo2020-202210.5578.96-7.06-7.06
Tokelau2017-202259.070.060
Tonga2020-202216.644.08-1.15-1.15
Trinidad and Tobago2020-20226.6513.64-1.01-1.01
Tunisia2017-202286.731019.341.93
Turkmenistan2017-202288527.066817.621.14
Turks and Caicos Islands2020-202217.4728.38-21.06-21.06
Tuvalu2020-20220.10.1100
Türkiye2017-20227172.153164.170.29
Uganda2017-20227921.12654.893.26
Ukraine2017-20223927.452266.880.9
United Arab Emirates2020-1.82-1.82
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland2017-20221823.55432.495.58
United Republic of Tanzania2020-202221613.334511.32-2.56-2.56
United States Virgin Islands2020-20221.453.69-1.24-1.24
United States of America2020-2022252790.7976485.51-2.95-2.95
Uruguay2017-2022878.871124.031.58
Uzbekistan2017-20228683.778768.521.77
Vanuatu2020-202227.5116.96-2.43-2.43
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)2020-20225041.788748.96-0.06-0.06
Viet Nam2020-20222621.7617414.79-4.72-4.72
Wallis and Futuna Islands2020-20220.640.7400
Western Sahara2017-202214.07134.750.04
World2020-20222585526.57990821.44-3.43-3.43
Yemen2020-202265.01303.75-18.35-18.35
Zambia2017-20229106.487043.747.84
Zimbabwe2017-2022406.29519.950.56
Åland Islands202225.9810.73