About
Wetlands — marshes, swamps, fens, bogs, and floodplains — are transitional zones between land and water. They cover approximately 6% of Earth's surface but provide an extraordinary proportion of ecosystem services: water purification, flood control, carbon storage, and habitat for a disproportionate number of the world's bird, fish, and amphibian species. An estimated 40% of all species depend on wetlands.
Wetlands have been destroyed at alarming rates — 35% of wetlands were lost between 1970 and 2015. The Mesopotamian Marshes of Iraq, once 20,000 km², were drained to 10% by Saddam Hussein in the 1990s as punishment for Shia rebellion. After his fall, the marshes recovered remarkably — now at 70% of original extent and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
# Top 10 Wetlands facts
- 1Wetlands filter water more effectively than any treatment plant — they are 'nature's kidneys'
- 2Saddam Hussein drained 90% of Iraq's ancient Mesopotamian Marshes — they have largely recovered since 2003
- 335% of the world's wetlands were destroyed between 1970 and 2015 — faster than any other ecosystem
Fascinating Facts
- ◆Wetlands filter water more effectively than any treatment plant — they are 'nature's kidneys'
- ◆Saddam Hussein drained 90% of Iraq's ancient Mesopotamian Marshes — they have largely recovered since 2003
- ◆35% of the world's wetlands were destroyed between 1970 and 2015 — faster than any other ecosystem
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