Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Arab World
Arab World: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 5.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Arab World, 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 total territorial area.
Analysis
Arab World recorded 5.8% for terrestrial and marine protected areas in 2025.
The figure is up 3.6% on the previous year and down 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Arab World peaked at 9.7% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2021.
Arab World ranks 43rd of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 7.2% | — |
| 2014 | 9.7% | +33.8% |
| 2015 | 7.8% | -19.5% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | -43.7% |
| 2017 | 4.5% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 4.5% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | -8.6% |
| 2020 | 3.1% | -25.3% |
| 2021 | 3.1% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 4.4% | +42.0% |
| 2024 | 5.6% | +28.1% |
| 2025 | 5.8% | +3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6.0% | 4.1% | 9.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | 3.1% | 5.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More climate change data for Arab World
- Population growth 2.2% (2025)
- Population, total 503.36 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 2.5% (2025)
- Urban population 302.20 million (2025)
- Urban population 60.0% (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 22.8% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 230.73 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 205.4% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 6.4% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 3.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in Arab World?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Arab World was 5.8% 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 terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7% in 2014.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2021.
- How does Arab World rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- Arab World ranks 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Arab World 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 Terrestrial and marine protected areas (% of total territorial area). 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
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 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. Sites protected under local or provincial law are excluded.