Marine protected areas in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries): Marine protected areas was 23.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Marine protected areas in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), 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 Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 23.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 658.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, marine protected areas in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 23.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2013.
That places Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 5th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Marine protected areas in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of territorial waters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 3.1% | — |
| 2014 | 3.5% | +10.4% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | -9.1% |
| 2016 | 8.5% | +169.7% |
| 2017 | 8.9% | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 17.6% | +98.1% |
| 2019 | 20.7% | +17.8% |
| 2020 | 21.0% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 21.2% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 22.8% | +7.3% |
| 2023 | 22.8% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 23.8% | +4.6% |
| 2025 | 23.8% | -0.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Marine protected areas in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +169.7% | 3.1% | 8.5% |
| 2018 | +98.1% | 8.9% | 17.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 9.3% | 3.1% | 20.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 22.6% | 21.0% | 23.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 2 Palau 98.0% compare
- 3 Saint Martin (French Part) 97.0% compare
- 4 New Caledonia 96.5% compare
- 5 French Polynesia 87.4% compare
- 6 Kazakhstan 52.5% compare
- 7 France 49.2% compare
- 8 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 46.8% compare
More climate change data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Urban population 531.01 million (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.6898 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9853 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8151 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 81.5% (2025)
- Urban population growth 1.0% (2025)
- Population, total 651.47 million (2025)
- Population growth 0.7% (2025)
All data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is marine protected areas in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Marine protected areas in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) was 23.8% 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 Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 23.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest marine protected areas recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2013.
- How does Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for marine protected areas?
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 5th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is marine protected areas rising or falling in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 658.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 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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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.