Marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income): Marine protected areas was 14.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), 2013–2025
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. Measured in % of territorial waters.
Analysis
In 2025, marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) stood at 14.3%.
The figure is up 1,027.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) peaked at 14.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2014.
That places Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of territorial waters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1.7% | — |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -23.8% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.3% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 9.6% | +645.7% |
| 2021 | 11.4% | +17.8% |
| 2022 | 11.4% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 11.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 14.3% | +25.4% |
| 2025 | 14.3% | -0.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +645.7% | 1.3% | 9.6% |
| 2024 | +25.4% | 11.4% | 14.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 12.0% | 9.6% | 14.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- 11 Chile 41.2% compare
- 12 Colombia 41.1% compare
- 13 Belgium 38.3% compare
- 14 Netherlands 33.5% compare
- 15 Seychelles 32.6% compare
- 16 Northern Mariana Islands 32.4% compare
- 17 New Zealand 30.4% compare
More climate change data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- Urban population 173.06 million (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6833 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 68.3% (2025)
- Urban population growth 1.2% (2025)
- Population, total 253.28 million (2025)
- Population growth 1.1% (2025)
All data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) was 14.3% in 2025, according to 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.
- What is the highest marine protected areas recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 14.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest marine protected areas recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2014.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) rank for marine protected areas?
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is marine protected areas rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,027.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures 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 part of Marine protected areas (% of territorial waters). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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.