North America vs Sri Lanka: Terrestrial protected areas
Terrestrial protected areas over time
- North America
- Sri Lanka
How they compare
Sri Lanka currently reports 30.8% against 12.9% in North America, a difference of 17.9%.
That makes Sri Lanka's figure about 2.4 times North America's.
Across all 13 years both countries report, Sri Lanka has been ahead every year.
North America ranks 37th and Sri Lanka ranks 35th of 47 groups.
Sri Lanka has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North America | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 11.4% | 27.8% | 16.4% | Sri Lanka |
| 2020s | 12.5% | 30.1% | 17.6% | Sri Lanka |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher terrestrial protected areas, North America or Sri Lanka?
- Sri Lanka, at 30.8% against 12.9% in North America as of 2025.
- What is the difference in terrestrial protected areas between North America and Sri Lanka?
- 17.9%, with Sri Lanka ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North America and Sri Lanka?
- 13 years are reported by both, from 2013 to 2025.
- How do North America and Sri Lanka rank globally for terrestrial protected areas?
- North America ranks 37th and Sri Lanka ranks 35th 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.