Wetlands of the World
The world has 7 to 9 million km² of wetland which is ~ 4 to 6% of the land surface.
~ 56% of the 4 to 6% of land surface is found in the tropical and subtropical regions.

In 1987 Matthews and Fung estimated the extent of wetlands in the world by climatic zones they found:

Polar/boreal    2.7 million km²

Temperate       0.7 million km²

Subtropical/tropical    1.9 million km²

Rice Paddies     1.5 million km²

Total Wetland Area     6.8 million km²

 

Major Wetland Regions of the World:

South America –

The Orinoco River delta of Venezuela 

·Covers 36,000 km² and is dominated by brackish shoreline by mangrove forests.

·It enters the Caribbean

The Llanos located on the western part of the Orinoco River found in western Venezuela and northern Colombia.

·Covers 450,000 km², it’s one of the largest inland wetland areas of South America

·Winter wet season with a summer dry season gives rise to yearly flooding.

·    Dominated by savanna grasslands and scattered palms.

·Important wading-bird habitat and is rich with caiman and red piranha.

The Amazon River

·Covers 300,000 km², 3,000 km long, the river floods 5-15 meters high yearly.

·It’s considered the world’s single largest river, with a flow that results in about one-sixth to one-fifth of all the fresh water in the world. Cretes its own weather patterns.

The Pantonal 

·One of the largest wetlands in world located in southwestern Brazil.

·Covers 140,000 km², four times the size of the Florida Everglades, with about 131,000 km² of that area flooded annually.

·It’s a haven to 650 to 700 species of birds.

Europe:

1.Mediterranean Sea Deltas

The Rhone River Delta created France’s most important wetland, the Camargue.

·Covers about 9,000 km2.

·Highly affected by a hot, dry summer and cool, wet winters.

·Home to one of the world’s 25 major flamingo nesting sites.

Po River Delta - Venice

 

 

2.Coastal Marshes of Northern Europe

·Extensive salt marshes and mud flats are found along the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea coastlines of Europe.

·Mostly grass type marshes

·It’s a major transportation artery in Europe.

·Much of the Netherlands is on the Rhine River Delta.

3.Peatlands

·About 3.46 million km² of northern boreal and subartic peatland exist, more than half of the world wetlands.

·Prodominately found in the Old World, Ireland, Scandinavia, Finland, Russia.

·Mostly made up of decomposed sphagnum moss.

Africa:

An abundance of wetlands is found in sub-Saharan Africa such as the Congo River Swamps, Inner Niger Delta, Sudd of the Upper Nile, and the Okavango Delta.

Sudd of the Upper Nile 

·Rainforest where the Blue and White Nile meet in teh southern Sudan.

Nile Delta

·It used to be a huge delta, the land has been converted to farm land, nolonger floods due to Aswan Dam.  Losing shoreline to Mediteranean..

Okavango Delta

·A vast number of rivers, channels, island and lagoons are diverted to the Okavango Delta.

·Along the coast there are many mangrove forests.

Australia:

·Wetlands are distinctive due to seasonal dryness from high evaporation rates and low rainfall.Saline wetlands and lakes are common as a result of the high evaporation rates.

New Zealand:

·One location in North Island has all seven types of wetlands.

·Has lost 90% of its wetlands

·South Island receives 2-10 meters annually of rain, several types of wetlands

Asia:

Most of its wetlands have been converted for agriculture

South and Southeast Asia:

·Has the biggest wetlands.

·Some of the major rivers are the  Indus, Ganges, Chao Praya, Mekong, Red .

·The Mekong begins at the Tibet Plateau and runs through China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam draining  625,000 km2

·Estimated that 20 million people receive their protein from fishing in these areas.

China:

·Approximately 650,000 km2 of wetlands, Pearl, and Yangtze River Deltas

·Of that 250,000 km2 have been reserved, and 400,000 km2 have been used for rice paddies, fish ponds, and other functions.