Terrestrial and marine protected areas in European Union
European Union: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 21.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in European Union, 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 European Union is 21.1%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 38.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in European Union peaked at 21.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.6%, in 2014.
European Union ranks 9th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in European Union, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 14.6% | — |
| 2014 | 14.6% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 15.3% | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 16.4% | +7.4% |
| 2017 | 18.3% | +11.2% |
| 2018 | 19.0% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 19.7% | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 19.9% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 20.0% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 20.1% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 20.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 20.3% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 21.1% | +3.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 16.8% | 14.6% | 19.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 20.3% | 19.9% | 21.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 6 Bhutan 51.6% 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
- 10 Zambia 41.3% compare
- 11 Slovenia 40.1% compare
- 12 Germany 40.0% compare
More climate change data for European Union
- Population growth 0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 451.13 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.4% (2025)
- Urban population 339.13 million (2025)
- Urban population 75.2% (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 17.8% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 186.14 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 13.7% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 26.6% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 16.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in European Union?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in European Union was 21.1% 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 European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 21.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.6% in 2014.
- How does European Union rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- European Union ranks 9th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union 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.