Terrestrial and marine protected areas in France
France: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 36.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in France, 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 France stood at 36.7%.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 58.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in France peaked at 36.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 23.2%, in 2015.
That places France 19th out of 213 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 France, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 23.5% | — |
| 2014 | 23.4% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 23.2% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 25.9% | +11.6% |
| 2017 | 27.8% | +7.3% |
| 2018 | 33.2% | +19.4% |
| 2019 | 35.0% | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 36.2% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 36.4% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 36.6% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 36.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 36.8% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 36.7% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 27.4% | 23.2% | 35.0% | 7 |
| 2020s | 36.6% | 36.2% | 36.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More climate change data for France
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 55,837 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,820 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 44,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,572 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 16,983 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 16,451 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 532.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 62.08 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.03 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in France?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in France was 36.7% 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 36.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.2% in 2015.
- How does France rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- France ranks 19th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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.