Terrestrial and marine protected areas (% of total territorial area) by country
Terrestrial protected areas are totally or partially protected areas of at least 1,000 hectares that are designated by national authorities as scientific reserves with limited public access, national parks, natural monuments, nature reserves or wildlife sanctuaries, protected landscapes, and areas managed mainly...
Countries reporting
213
Highest
99.5%
Monaco
Lowest
0.0%
British Virgin Islands
Median
11.6%
Years covered
13
2013–2025
Data points
3,357
What the numbers show
Terrestrial and marine protected areas (% of total territorial area) is currently reported for 213 countries. The highest value is 99.5% in Monaco; the lowest is 0.0% in British Virgin Islands.
The median across all reporting countries is 11.6%, and the mean is 15.4%.
Over the past decade 143 countries rose and 34 fell. The largest increase was in Monaco (up 33,066.7%), and the largest decrease in Eritrea (down 100.0%).
Terrestrial and marine protected areas: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monaco | 99.5% | 2025 | up 33,066.7% | volatile |
| 2 | Palau | 98.0% | 2025 | up 32,566.7% | volatile |
| 3 | New Caledonia | 96.0% | 2025 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 4 | Saint Martin (French part) | 92.3% | 2025 | up 2,784.4% | volatile |
| 5 | French Polynesia | 87.3% | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 6 | Bhutan | 51.6% | 2025 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 7 | Liechtenstein | 44.8% | 2025 | up 6.2% | rising |
| 8 | United Kingdom | 42.1% | 2025 | up 153.6% | rising |
| 9 | Hong Kong | 42.0% | 2025 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 10 | Zambia | 41.3% | 2025 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 11 | Slovenia | 40.1% | 2025 | down 25.9% | falling |
| 12 | Germany | 40.0% | 2025 | up 3.9% | flat |
| 13 | Luxembourg | 39.1% | 2025 | up 20.3% | rising |
| 14 | Venezuela | 39.0% | 2025 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 15 | Armenia | 38.9% | 2025 | up 68.4% | rising |
| 16 | Poland | 38.1% | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 17 | Chile | 37.9% | 2025 | up 457.4% | volatile |
| 18 | Slovakia | 37.5% | 2025 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 19 | France | 36.7% | 2025 | up 58.2% | rising |
| 20 | Bulgaria | 35.6% | 2025 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 21 | Congo | 34.2% | 2025 | up 1.8% | flat |
| 22 | Australia | 33.5% | 2025 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 23 | Seychelles | 32.6% | 2025 | up 32,500.0% | volatile |
| 24 | Northern Mariana Islands | 32.4% | 2025 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 25 | Tanzania | 32.3% | 2025 | up 24.2% | rising |
| 26 | Cambodia | 31.8% | 2025 | up 54.4% | rising |
| 27 | Bolivia | 30.9% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 28 | New Zealand | 30.6% | 2025 | up 0.3% | flat |
| 29 | Netherlands | 29.8% | 2025 | up 66.5% | rising |
| 30 | Austria | 29.6% | 2025 | up 4.2% | rising |
| 30 | Guinea | 29.6% | 2025 | up 38.3% | rising |
| 32 | Brazil | 29.4% | 2025 | up 44.1% | rising |
| 33 | North Macedonia | 29.0% | 2025 | up 199.0% | rising |
| 34 | Benin | 28.8% | 2025 | up 25.8% | rising |
| 35 | Zimbabwe | 28.3% | 2025 | up 6.0% | flat |
| 36 | Costa Rica | 28.2% | 2025 | up 840.0% | volatile |
| 37 | Botswana | 27.6% | 2025 | down 5.2% | flat |
| 38 | Andorra | 27.3% | 2025 | up 29.4% | rising |
| 39 | Panama | 27.2% | 2025 | up 423.1% | volatile |
| 40 | Belize | 26.8% | 2025 | up 30.7% | rising |
| 41 | Colombia | 26.5% | 2025 | up 184.9% | rising |
| 42 | Gabon | 24.4% | 2025 | up 101.7% | rising |
| 42 | Namibia | 24.4% | 2025 | up 5.2% | flat |
| 44 | Romania | 24.3% | 2025 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 45 | Croatia | 24.1% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 46 | Denmark | 23.8% | 2025 | up 16.1% | flat |
| 47 | Nepal | 23.6% | 2025 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 48 | Lesotho | 23.4% | 2025 | up 7,700.0% | volatile |
| 49 | Malawi | 23.1% | 2025 | up 36.7% | rising |
| 50 | Greenland | 22.6% | 2025 | up 0.9% | flat |
| 50 | Tajikistan | 22.6% | 2025 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 52 | Hungary | 22.3% | 2025 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 53 | Spain | 22.1% | 2025 | up 56.7% | rising |
| 53 | Togo | 22.1% | 2025 | up 1.4% | flat |
| 55 | Czechia | 21.9% | 2025 | up 0.9% | flat |
| 56 | Niger | 21.0% | 2025 | up 21.4% | rising |
| 56 | Chad | 21.0% | 2025 | up 12.9% | rising |
| 58 | Oman | 20.8% | 2025 | up 1,980.0% | volatile |
| 59 | Bahrain | 20.6% | 2025 | up 1,111.8% | volatile |
| 60 | Estonia | 20.5% | 2025 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 61 | Ecuador | 20.2% | 2025 | up 40.3% | rising |
| 62 | Mexico | 19.9% | 2025 | up 215.9% | rising |
| 63 | Mongolia | 19.8% | 2025 | up 13.8% | rising |
| 64 | Laos | 18.8% | 2025 | up 12.6% | rising |
| 65 | Belgium | 18.6% | 2025 | down 23.1% | falling |
| 66 | Lithuania | 18.4% | 2025 | up 8.9% | rising |
| 67 | Latvia | 18.1% | 2025 | up 1.7% | flat |
| 68 | Albania | 18.0% | 2025 | up 718.2% | rising |
| 68 | Mozambique | 18.0% | 2025 | up 48.8% | rising |
| 70 | Ukraine | 17.9% | 2025 | up 359.0% | volatile |
| 71 | Georgia | 17.4% | 2025 | up 171.9% | rising |
| 72 | Portugal | 17.2% | 2025 | up 129.3% | rising |
| 73 | Ethiopia | 17.0% | 2025 | down 8.1% | falling |
| 73 | Saudi Arabia | 17.0% | 2025 | down 39.9% | volatile |
| 75 | Burkina Faso | 16.8% | 2025 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 76 | Senegal | 16.6% | 2025 | up 14.5% | rising |
| 77 | Peru | 16.5% | 2025 | down 14.9% | falling |
| 78 | Montenegro | 16.3% | 2025 | up 526.9% | volatile |
| 79 | United Arab Emirates | 16.1% | 2025 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 79 | Uganda | 16.1% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 81 | Sweden | 15.9% | 2025 | up 21.4% | rising |
| 82 | United States | 15.8% | 2025 | down 21.4% | falling |
| 83 | South Sudan | 15.4% | 2025 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 84 | Dominican Republic | 15.3% | 2025 | up 36.6% | rising |
| 85 | Pakistan | 15.2% | 2025 | up 55.1% | rising |
| 86 | Japan | 15.1% | 2025 | up 619.0% | rising |
| 87 | Cote d'Ivoire | 14.9% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 14.9% | 2025 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 87 | Paraguay | 14.9% | 2025 | up 129.2% | rising |
| 90 | Central African Republic | 14.8% | 2025 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 90 | Italy | 14.8% | 2025 | up 31.0% | rising |
| 92 | China | 14.7% | 2025 | down 7.5% | falling |
| 93 | Gibraltar | 14.4% | 2025 | up 9.1% | volatile |
| 94 | Uzbekistan | 14.1% | 2025 | up 314.7% | volatile |
| 95 | Serbia | 14.0% | 2025 | up 109.0% | rising |
| 96 | Finland | 13.5% | 2025 | down 4.9% | falling |
| 97 | Thailand | 13.4% | 2025 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 98 | Guinea-Bissau | 13.2% | 2025 | up 14.8% | rising |
| 99 | South Africa | 12.9% | 2025 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 100 | Switzerland | 12.5% | 2025 | up 28.9% | falling |
| 101 | Israel | 12.2% | 2025 | up 41.9% | rising |
| 102 | Azerbaijan | 12.0% | 2025 | up 118.2% | rising |
| 103 | Kiribati | 11.9% | 2025 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 104 | Kazakhstan | 11.8% | 2025 | up 268.8% | volatile |
| 104 | Kenya | 11.8% | 2025 | up 14.6% | flat |
| 106 | Canada | 11.6% | 2025 | up 87.1% | rising |
| 106 | Egypt | 11.6% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Nigeria | 11.6% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 109 | Kuwait | 11.5% | 2025 | up 2.7% | flat |
| 109 | Moldova | 11.5% | 2025 | up 173.8% | volatile |
| 111 | Greece | 11.2% | 2025 | up 30.2% | rising |
| 112 | Cyprus | 11.1% | 2025 | up 552.9% | volatile |
| 112 | Honduras | 11.1% | 2025 | down 9.0% | flat |
| 114 | Cameroon | 11.0% | 2025 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 115 | Guatemala | 10.2% | 2025 | down 35.0% | falling |
| 116 | Nicaragua | 10.1% | 2025 | down 34.8% | falling |
| 117 | Palestine | 10.0% | 2025 | up 19.0% | rising |
| 118 | Argentina | 9.7% | 2025 | up 31.1% | rising |
| 119 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9.5% | 2025 | up 533.3% | volatile |
| 120 | Belarus | 9.2% | 2025 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 121 | Rwanda | 9.1% | 2025 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 122 | American Samoa | 8.7% | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 123 | Russia | 8.6% | 2025 | up 13.2% | rising |
| 123 | Suriname | 8.6% | 2025 | up 1.2% | flat |
| 125 | Malaysia | 8.4% | 2025 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 126 | Bahamas | 8.3% | 2025 | up 591.7% | volatile |
| 127 | Malta | 8.0% | 2025 | up 1,500.0% | volatile |
| 128 | Ghana | 7.9% | 2025 | up 1.3% | flat |
| 129 | Angola | 7.7% | 2025 | up 54.0% | rising |
| 130 | Burundi | 7.6% | 2025 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 131 | Brunei | 7.5% | 2025 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 131 | Mali | 7.5% | 2025 | down 9.6% | falling |
| 133 | Iran | 7.0% | 2025 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 134 | Cuba | 6.9% | 2025 | up 40.8% | rising |
| 135 | Kyrgyzstan | 6.8% | 2025 | up 4.6% | flat |
| 136 | Bangladesh | 5.9% | 2025 | up 20.4% | rising |
| 136 | South Korea | 5.9% | 2025 | up 126.9% | rising |
| 138 | Qatar | 5.8% | 2025 | up 625.0% | volatile |
| 139 | Turkey | 5.7% | 2025 | up 2,750.0% | volatile |
| 140 | Jordan | 5.4% | 2025 | up 217.6% | rising |
| 140 | Norway | 5.4% | 2025 | up 12.5% | volatile |
| 142 | Indonesia | 5.2% | 2025 | up 2.0% | flat |
| 142 | Tunisia | 5.2% | 2025 | up 40.5% | rising |
| 144 | Guyana | 5.1% | 2025 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 144 | Madagascar | 5.1% | 2025 | up 168.4% | rising |
| 144 | Sierra Leone | 5.1% | 2025 | up 54.5% | rising |
| 147 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 4.8% | 2025 | up 1,500.0% | volatile |
| 148 | Lebanon | 4.7% | 2025 | up 422.2% | volatile |
| 148 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 4.7% | 2025 | down 6.0% | falling |
| 148 | East Timor | 4.7% | 2025 | up 42.4% | rising |
| 151 | Isle of Man | 4.6% | 2025 | up 1,433.3% | rising |
| 152 | India | 4.5% | 2025 | up 28.6% | rising |
| 153 | Algeria | 4.4% | 2025 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 154 | Turkmenistan | 4.3% | 2025 | up 34.4% | rising |
| 155 | Eswatini | 4.2% | 2025 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 156 | Myanmar | 4.1% | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 157 | Ireland | 4.0% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 158 | Sri Lanka | 3.7% | 2025 | up 8.8% | rising |
| 159 | Afghanistan | 3.6% | 2025 | up 800.0% | volatile |
| 159 | Philippines | 3.6% | 2025 | up 16.1% | rising |
| 161 | Sudan | 3.3% | 2025 | up 73.7% | rising |
| 162 | Haiti | 3.0% | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 163 | Gambia | 2.9% | 2025 | up 107.1% | rising |
| 163 | Iceland | 2.9% | 2025 | up 26.1% | rising |
| 163 | Vietnam | 2.9% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 166 | Uruguay | 2.4% | 2025 | up 41.2% | rising |
| 167 | Puerto Rico | 2.3% | 2025 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 168 | Singapore | 2.1% | 2025 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 168 | El Salvador | 2.1% | 2025 | down 4.5% | flat |
| 170 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2.0% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 171 | Equatorial Guinea | 1.8% | 2025 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 172 | Jamaica | 1.6% | 2025 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 173 | Iraq | 1.5% | 2025 | up 66.7% | rising |
| 174 | Morocco | 1.4% | 2025 | down 92.4% | volatile |
| 175 | North Korea | 1.3% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 176 | Djibouti | 1.2% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 176 | Liberia | 1.2% | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 178 | Fiji | 1.0% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 178 | Saint Lucia | 1.0% | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 178 | Mauritania | 1.0% | 2025 | down 9.1% | falling |
| 181 | United States Virgin Islands | 0.9% | 2025 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 182 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0.8% | 2025 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 183 | Comoros | 0.7% | 2025 | up 600.0% | volatile |
| 183 | Papua New Guinea | 0.7% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 183 | Syria | 0.7% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 183 | Yemen | 0.7% | 2025 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 187 | Aruba | 0.6% | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 187 | Dominica | 0.6% | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 189 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 0.5% | 2025 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 189 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 0.5% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 191 | Curacao | 0.3% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 191 | Marshall Islands | 0.3% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 191 | Samoa | 0.3% | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 194 | Cape Verde | 0.2% | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 194 | Grenada | 0.2% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 194 | Libya | 0.2% | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 194 | Solomon Islands | 0.2% | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 194 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.2% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 199 | Barbados | 0.1% | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 199 | Cayman Islands | 0.1% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 199 | Maldives | 0.1% | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 199 | Tonga | 0.1% | 2025 | down 93.3% | volatile |
| 199 | Vanuatu | 0.1% | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 204 | Bermuda | 0.0% | 2025 | — | flat |
| 204 | Eritrea | 0.0% | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 204 | Faroe Islands | 0.0% | 2025 | — | flat |
| 204 | Micronesia (country) | 0.0% | 2025 | — | flat |
| 204 | Guam | 0.0% | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 204 | Mauritius | 0.0% | 2025 | — | flat |
| 204 | Nauru | 0.0% | 2025 | — | flat |
| 204 | Somalia | 0.0% | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 204 | Tuvalu | 0.0% | 2025 | — | flat |
| 204 | British Virgin Islands | 0.0% | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Central Europe and the Baltics 28.5%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 24.2%
- Latin America & Caribbean 23.4%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 22.6%
- High income 22.2%
- East Asia & Pacific 22.0%
- Late-demographic dividend 21.7%
- OECD members 21.1%
- European Union 21.1%
- Euro area 20.6%
- Post-demographic dividend 20.2%
- World 17.0%
About this data
Terrestrial protected areas are totally or partially protected areas of at least 1,000 hectares that are designated by national authorities as scientific reserves with limited public access, national parks, natural monuments, nature reserves or wildlife sanctuaries, protected landscapes, and areas managed mainly for sustainable use. Marine protected areas are areas of intertidal or subtidal terrain--and overlying water and associated flora and fauna and historical and cultural features--that have been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment. Sites protected under local or provincial law are excluded.