How much of Earth’s water exists as free water on continental landmasses?

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Inland water ecosystem Figure 1: Relationship between the density of pure water and temperature.

Only a relatively small fraction of the total water in the biosphere exists as free water on continental landmasses, commonly referred to as inland water. While the oceans contain approximately 97.6 percent of the biosphere’s water, and polar ice, groundwater, and water vapour account for another 2.4 percent, less than 1 percent of Earth's water exists as continental free water.1

Despite this small percentage, inland water is a vital component of the hydrologic cycle and supports diverse biological communities. These waters are categorized into lotic (running-water) habitats, such as rivers, and lentic (standing-water) habitats, such as lakes and marshes.1