North America vs Panama: Terrestrial protected areas
Terrestrial protected areas over time
- North America
- Panama
How they compare
Panama currently reports 31.4% against 12.9% in North America, a difference of 18.5%.
That makes Panama's figure about 2.4 times North America's.
Across all 13 years both countries report, Panama has been ahead every year.
North America ranks 37th and Panama ranks 32nd of 47 groups.
Panama has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North America | Panama | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 11.4% | 20.9% | 9.5% | Panama |
| 2020s | 12.5% | 31.5% | 19.0% | Panama |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher terrestrial protected areas, North America or Panama?
- Panama, at 31.4% against 12.9% in North America as of 2025.
- What is the difference in terrestrial protected areas between North America and Panama?
- 18.5%, with Panama ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North America and Panama?
- 13 years are reported by both, from 2013 to 2025.
- How do North America and Panama rank globally for terrestrial protected areas?
- North America ranks 37th and Panama 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 Terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
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 areas, unclassified areas, littoral (intertidal) areas, and sites protected under local or provincial law are excluded.