Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 9.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 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 Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) is 9.8%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 33.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 9.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.3%, in 2014.
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 32nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 8.3% | — |
| 2014 | 7.3% | -11.6% |
| 2015 | 7.3% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 7.4% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 7.4% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 7.4% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 7.5% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 9.0% | +20.9% |
| 2021 | 9.4% | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 9.4% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 9.5% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 9.7% | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 9.8% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7.5% | 7.3% | 8.3% | 7 |
| 2020s | 9.5% | 9.0% | 9.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
More climate change data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Urban population 319.88 million (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6843 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6915 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 69.2% (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.7% (2025)
- Population, total 462.56 million (2025)
- Population growth 0.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 9.8% 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 Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 9.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.3% in 2014.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 32nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.
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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.