Global Overview

Filter data

Last updated16 October 2026

Source years2011–2026

7/10

Realms

IUCN GET Level 1

18/25

Biomes

IUCN GET Level 2

85/110

Ecosystems

IUCN GET Level 3

85/110

Ecosystems

Extent
EcosystemsArea (km²)Coverage
Deepwater biogenic beds200577572.471808370.5125744375115031
Abyssal plains101125027.278808130.2584242262831049
Continental and island slopes21631714.030099790.05527967815517616
Annual croplands14334288.1058507280.0366311625593981
Polar tundra and deserts4151427.3854128160.010608940624440488
Hadal trenches and troughs3464431.3041271470.008853327443973354
Plantations3412136.34388239080.008719688076910469
Pyric tussock savannas3389514.3216041770.008661877673674793
Sclerophyll hot deserts and semi-deserts2793604.55181711450.007139034858837435
Tropical/Subtropical lowland rainforests2756615.20863325850.007044508877977587
Ice sheets, glaciers and perennial snowfields2677774.6295611070.006843032386997175
Sown livestock pastures2673460.95716133530.006832008830491463
Temperate alpine grasslands and shrublands2483060.57838375030.006345442132873189
Tropical/Subtropical dry forests and thickets2349435.8376982280.006003965139955006
Temperate subhumid grasslands2022754.03103844170.005169132305803436
Subtidal sand beds1908364.83892718630.004876811608722196
Deciduous temperate forests1817446.2960620450.004644469974539663
Semi-desert steppe1806539.65918467380.004616598148224952
Urban and industrial ecosystems1775675.16741941290.0045377241778667725
Boreal and temperate high montane forests and woodlands1599592.8312675310.004087747127608833
Rice paddies1529351.65908163970.003908246354518202
Succulent or Thorny deserts and semi-deserts904046.08420442960.0023102827867791304
Tropical flooded forests and peat forests722902.42253741960.0018473715582528608
Seasonal floodplain marshes709122.73754309850.0018121576796621098
Derived semi-natural pastures and old fields572663.20925032840.001463436408904968
Trophic savannas506145.6028787490.0012934511794979466
Polar/alpine cliffs, screes, outcrops and lava flows504823.86465828360.0012900734876825379
Hummock savannas472783.56172481330.0012081947409640834
Warm temperate laurophyll forests396016.86677617470.0010120180448459461
Cool deserts and semi-deserts388700.66706827090.0009933215529910173
Subtropical/temperate forested wetlands382296.66298483340.0009769561700100724
Boreal, temperate and montane peat bogs377267.789686200850.000964104923130387
Freeze-thaw freshwater lakes369265.23116133310.0009436544466190437
Seasonally dry temperate heath and shrublands362397.7816489870.0009261047324234339
Temperate woodlands349282.959708319340.0008925899062319559
Young rocky pavements, lava flows and screes328037.42388799070.0008382971035096274
Temperate pyric sclerophyll forests and woodlands310053.868847908340.0007923402674808985
Oceanic cool temperate rainforests298770.54507256610.0007635058207073486
Seagrass meadows250703.819656089360.0006406716750960125
Tropical/Subtropical montane rainforests217392.351971131170.0005555444766715728
Seamounts, ridges and plateaus206812.002466819630.0005285064752189935
Seasonally dry tropical shrublands200873.605212405730.0005133309468940164
Episodic arid floodplains196809.606372331270.0005029454292420299
Submarine canyons195073.67901468210.0004985092802850825
Ephemeral salt lakes175996.154489640060.0004497568136856089
Intertidal forests and shrublands159467.00411001760.0004075166975351911
Photic coral reefs157306.211258856930.00040199480809055636
Large reservoirs149539.097313289850.0003821460083834188
Tropical heath forests129229.610845795190.0003302452725537102
Photo-limited marine animal forests127778.736109663160.0003265375733697595
Permanent marshes108420.789047188680.00027706848914141227
Coastal saltmarshes and reedbeds106025.233492921270.0002709466654219196
Muddy Shorelines86762.86353600540.00022172182774874279
Temperate pyric humid forests73672.555441466610.00018826964650174138
Cool temperate heathlands71097.807933872140.0001816898991293133
Tropical alpine grasslands and herbfields71054.312751605470.000181578747526918
Hyper-arid deserts65583.643087501190.00016759849344699776
Coastal shrublands and grasslands60914.09026198930.0001556654872615559
Seasonal freshwater lakes49336.288497565520.00012607850426098484
Subtidal mud plains38638.273082016320.00009873980848090083
Large permanent freshwater lakes30607.1807099893230.00007821641394349187
Permanently open riverine estuaries and bays30294.4079606063420.00007741712559779988
Boreal and temperate fens26398.9647272907750.00006746235049723194
Subtidal rocky reefs22652.5855957160060.00005788850755753004
Marine aquafarms22338.1994108521650.0000570850960899263
Small permanent freshwater lakes13820.165559409790.00003531732636222812
Constructed lacustrine wetlands9312.9043725219780.000023799055206009157
Freshwater aquafarms9294.3567313197420.000023751656852149146
Permanent lowland rivers3517.4345325766630.000008988776784963972
Sandy Shorelines2362.5144579057870.000006037387452897088
Rocky Shorelines2185.17390061951160.000005584195028246694
Permanent salt and soda lakes1909.73242471790650.000004880306463649337
Ephemeral freshwater lakes1860.46429939502560.0000047544021498548754
Intermittently closed and open lakes and lagoons1525.40550728156930.000003898161994066884
Permanent upland streams1292.02470046506070.000003301759144507189
Freeze-thaw rivers and streams929.54721736514270.0000023754507356413874
Canals, ditches and drains590.52637891036750.0000015090856010246606
Large seabird and pinniped colonies109.767934249430812.805111083025482e-7
Boulder and cobble shores71.066111781694521.8160889985719374e-7
Kelp forests39.131120987173829.999927749656227e-8
Seasonal upland streams35.940328504020599.184523194643939e-8
Seasonal lowland rivers27.953583551258827.143516689649422e-8
Artesian springs and oases5.1867388855027131.325467116783091e-8
Episodic arid rivers1.99664564027283565.102412514821362e-9
Geothermal pools and wetlands1.99473651795094985.097533767470787e-9
No data00
Natural vs Anthropogenic Ecosystems
Natural vs Anthropogenic EcosystemsArea (km²)Coverage
Natural366825386.602256240.937419442689778
Anthropogenic24488650.526852730.0625805573102225
SourceCoverage
Deepwater biogenic beds
51.26%
Abyssal plains
25.25%
Continental and island slopes
4.63%
National Ecosystem Accounting Project Australia
3.47%
U.S. National Vegetation Classification Macrogroups
1.96%