Marine protected areas in Malaysia
Malaysia: Marine protected areas was 4.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Marine protected areas in Malaysia, 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
Malaysia recorded 4.8% for marine protected areas in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 242.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, marine protected areas in Malaysia peaked at 5.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 2013.
Malaysia ranks 66th of 174 countries on this measure, 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of territorial waters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1.4% | — |
| 2014 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3.3% | +120.0% |
| 2021 | 5.6% | +69.7% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4.8% | -14.3% |
| 2025 | 4.8% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 7 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 3.3% | 5.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More climate change data for Malaysia
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,551 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,936 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,616 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 93.41 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,214 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,641 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3,573 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 13.74 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 127.6 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is marine protected areas in Malaysia?
- Marine protected areas in Malaysia was 4.8% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest marine protected areas recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 2013.
- How does Malaysia rank for marine protected areas?
- Malaysia ranks 66th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is marine protected areas rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 242.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.
Download this data
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.