Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs Spain: Marine protected areas

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
4.3%
in 2025
Spain
19.0%
in 2025
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank
29th
Spain rank
32nd

Marine protected areas over time

  • Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
  • Spain
05101520201320192025

How they compare

Spain currently reports 19.0% against 4.3% in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, a difference of 14.7%.

That makes Spain's figure about 4.4 times Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 13 shared years of data; in 2013 it was Spain ahead.

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 29th and Spain ranks 32nd of 47 groups.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan Spain Difference Ahead
2010s 1.1% 6.8% 5.7% Spain
2020s 2.3% 13.8% 11.5% Spain

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher marine protected areas, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan or Spain?
Spain, at 19.0% against 4.3% in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan as of 2025.
What is the difference in marine protected areas between Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Spain?
14.7%, with Spain ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Spain?
13 years are reported by both, from 2013 to 2025.
How do Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Spain rank globally for marine protected areas?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 29th and Spain ranks 32nd 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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Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs Spain: 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 17 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/compare/marine-protected-areas-percent-of-territorial-waters/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan/spain/

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<a href="https://climate.statizoid.com/compare/marine-protected-areas-percent-of-territorial-waters/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan/spain/">Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs Spain: Marine protected areas</a> — Statizoid

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

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.