Which has higher marine protected areas, European Union or France?

France, at 49.2% against 16.8% in European Union as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for European Union and France?

13 years are reported by both, from 2013 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring, published as Marine protected areas (% of territorial waters). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

European Union vs France: Marine protected areas

European Union

16.8%

in 2025

France

49.2%

in 2025

European Union rank

10th

France rank

7th

Marine protected areas over time

European Union
France

How they compare

France currently reports 49.2% against 16.8% in European Union, a difference of 32.4%.

That makes France's figure about 2.9 times European Union's.

Across all 13 years both countries report, France has been ahead every year.

European Union ranks 10th and France ranks 7th of 47 groups.

France has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	European Union	France	Difference	Ahead
2010s	10.1%	30.0%	19.9%	France
2020s	15.6%	49.8%	34.2%	France

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher marine protected areas, European Union or France?: France, at 49.2% against 16.8% in European Union as of 2025.
What is the difference in marine protected areas between European Union and France?: 32.4%, with France ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for European Union and France?: 13 years are reported by both, from 2013 to 2025.
How do European Union and France rank globally for marine protected areas?: European Union ranks 10th and France ranks 7th of 47 groups.
Where does this data come from?: Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring, published as Marine protected areas (% of territorial waters). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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European Union vs France: Marine protected areas. Statizoid, drawing on Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/compare/marine-protected-areas-percent-of-territorial-waters/european-union/france/

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About this data

Indicator: Marine protected areas (% of territorial waters)
Unit: % of territorial waters
Source: Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 221 places, 2,834 data points, 2013–2025
Last refreshed: 03 September 2026

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.