Terrestrial and marine protected areas in China
China: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 14.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in China, 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 China is 14.7%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in China peaked at 16.0% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 14.7%, in 2018.
That places China 92nd out of 213 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in China, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 15.8% | — |
| 2014 | 15.9% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 15.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 16.0% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 14.7% | -8.1% |
| 2019 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 15.6% | 14.7% | 16.0% | 7 |
| 2020s | 14.7% | 14.7% | 14.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 90 Central African Republic 14.8% compare
- 90 Italy 14.8% compare
- 93 Gibraltar 14.4% compare
- 94 Uzbekistan 14.1% compare
- 95 Serbia 14.0% compare
More climate change data for China
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 5,052 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in China?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in China was 14.7% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 2017.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.7% in 2018.
- How does China rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- China ranks 92nd out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.