GLWD v2.0 integrates new satellite and ground-based datasets to improve spatial and thematic consistency across the globe. It covers a total global wetland area of approximately 18.2 million km², about 13.4% of the global land area excluding Antarctica.
The database classifies inland waters into 33 categories by permanence, hydrological conditions, vegetation cover, salinity, origin and landscape position. Data are distributed as grids of absolute area and relative coverage through HydroSHEDS.org under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.