Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Bhutan
Bhutan: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 51.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Bhutan, 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
In 2025, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Bhutan stood at 51.6%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Bhutan peaked at 51.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 28.8%, in 2013.
Bhutan ranks 6th of 213 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 28.8% | — |
| 2014 | 48.0% | +66.7% |
| 2015 | 48.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 48.0% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 48.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 48.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 48.0% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 49.7% | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 51.6% | +3.8% |
| 2025 | 51.6% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 45.3% | 28.8% | 48.0% | 7 |
| 2020s | 50.3% | 49.7% | 51.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 3 New Caledonia 96.0% compare
- 4 Saint Martin (French Part) 92.3% compare
- 5 French Polynesia 87.3% compare
- 7 Liechtenstein 44.8% compare
- 8 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 42.1% compare
- 9 Hong Kong, China 42.0% compare
More climate change data for Bhutan
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 581.26 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 78.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 503.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.2952 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17.97 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 129 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 40.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 88.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1518 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3.17 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in Bhutan?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Bhutan was 51.6% 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 Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 51.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.8% in 2013.
- How does Bhutan rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- Bhutan ranks 6th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bhutan 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.