Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Central Europe and the Baltics
Central Europe and the Baltics: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 28.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Central Europe and the Baltics, 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
The most recent figure for terrestrial and marine protected areas in Central Europe and the Baltics is 28.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 11.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Central Europe and the Baltics peaked at 28.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 24.9%, in 2013.
Central Europe and the Baltics ranks 1st of 47 groups 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 Central Europe and the Baltics, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 24.9% | — |
| 2014 | 25.4% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 25.6% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 27.4% | +6.8% |
| 2017 | 27.8% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 27.8% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 28.3% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 28.1% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 28.1% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 28.1% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 28.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 28.5% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 28.5% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 26.7% | 24.9% | 28.3% | 7 |
| 2020s | 28.3% | 28.1% | 28.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central Europe and the Baltics
- 1 Monaco 99.5% compare
- 2 Palau 98.0% compare
- 3 New Caledonia 96.0% compare
- 4 Saint Martin (French Part) 92.3% compare
More climate change data for Central Europe and the Baltics
- Population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 99.81 million (2025)
- Urban population growth -0.1% (2025)
- Urban population 61.79 million (2025)
- Urban population 61.9% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 32.87 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 13.1% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 31.0% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 15.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Central Europe and the Baltics was 28.5% 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 Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The highest recorded value was 28.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.9% in 2013.
- How does Central Europe and the Baltics rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- Central Europe and the Baltics ranks 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Central Europe and the Baltics 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.