Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Northern Europe

Northern Europe: Beach litter items per unit of surface area was 4 num items per 100m2 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
4 num items per 100m2
Change on year
up 300.0%
Rank
30th
of 34 groups
All-time high
90 num items per 100m2
in 2016
All-time low
1 num items per 100m2
in 2023
Years of data
10
2015–2024

Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Northern Europe, 2015–2024

0204060801002015201920242015: 16 num items per 100m22016: 90 num items per 100m22017: 40 num items per 100m22018: 23 num items per 100m22019: 34 num items per 100m22020: 35 num items per 100m22021: 2 num items per 100m22022: 24 num items per 100m22023: 1 num items per 100m22024: 4 num items per 100m2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num items per 100m2.

Analysis

The most recent figure for beach litter items per unit of surface area in Northern Europe is 4 num items per 100m2, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 300.0% on the previous year and down 75.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, beach litter items per unit of surface area in Northern Europe peaked at 90 num items per 100m2 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 1 num items per 100m2, in 2023.

Northern Europe ranks 30th of 34 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Northern Europe, year by year

Annual values for Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters) in Northern Europe, 2015 to 2024.
Year num items per 100m2 Change
2015 16 num items per 100m2
2016 90 num items per 100m2 +462.5%
2017 40 num items per 100m2 -55.6%
2018 23 num items per 100m2 -42.5%
2019 34 num items per 100m2 +47.8%
2020 35 num items per 100m2 +2.9%
2021 2 num items per 100m2 -94.3%
2022 24 num items per 100m2 +1100.0%
2023 1 num items per 100m2 -95.8%
2024 4 num items per 100m2 +300.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 40.6 num items per 100m2 16 num items per 100m2 90 num items per 100m2 5
2020s 13.2 num items per 100m2 1 num items per 100m2 35 num items per 100m2 5

Countries ranked near Northern Europe

  1. 27 Bahamas 52 num items per 100m2 compare
  2. 28 Samoa 48 num items per 100m2 compare
  3. 29 Malawi 46 num items per 100m2 compare
  4. 30 Guatemala 40 num items per 100m2 compare
  5. 31 Germany 38 num items per 100m2 compare
  6. 32 Polynesia 37 num items per 100m2 compare
  7. 33 Brazil 36 num items per 100m2 compare

See the full ranking of 140 places →

More development goals data for Northern Europe

All data for Northern Europe →

Frequently asked questions

What is beach litter items per unit of surface area in Northern Europe?
Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Northern Europe was 4 num items per 100m2 in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in Northern Europe?
The highest recorded value was 90 num items per 100m2 in 2016.
What is the lowest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in Northern Europe?
The lowest recorded value was 1 num items per 100m2 in 2023.
How does Northern Europe rank for beach litter items per unit of surface area?
Northern Europe ranks 30th out of 34 groups with data for 2024.
Is beach litter items per unit of surface area rising or falling in Northern Europe?
Over the last ten years it is down 75.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Northern Europe data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Northern Europe. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://development-goals.statizoid.com/stat/beach-litter-items-per-unit-of-surface-area-number-of-items-per-100-square-meters/northern-europe/

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About this data

Indicator
Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters)
Unit
num items per 100m2
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
140 places, 1,211 data points, 2015–2024
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