Terrestrial and marine protected areas in India
India: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 4.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in India, 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 India stood at 4.5%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 28.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in India peaked at 4.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 2013.
That places India 152nd out of 213 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 India, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 3.4% | — |
| 2014 | 3.5% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | +25.7% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4.5% | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.5% | 7 |
| 2020s | 4.3% | 3.5% | 4.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
- 151 Isle of Man 4.6% compare
- 153 Algeria 4.4% compare
- 154 Turkmenistan 4.3% compare
- 155 Eswatini 4.2% compare
More climate change data for India
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 602,760 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 105,678 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 497,082 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 398.78 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17,753 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 279,594 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 176,015 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 103,578 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 664.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3,699 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in India?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in India was 4.5% 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 4.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 2013.
- How does India rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- India ranks 152nd out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India 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.