Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 11.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Least developed 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
In 2025, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Least developed countries stood at 11.2%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Least developed countries peaked at 11.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 2014.
That places Least developed countries 29th out of 47 groups 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 Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 10.3% | — |
| 2014 | 10.0% | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 10.1% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 10.4% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 10.6% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 10.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 10.2% | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 10.6% | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 10.7% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 10.7% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 10.9% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 11.0% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 11.2% | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10.3% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 7 |
| 2020s | 10.8% | 10.6% | 11.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 26 Cambodia 31.8% compare
- 27 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 30.9% compare
- 28 New Zealand 30.6% compare
- 29 Netherlands 29.8% compare
- 30 Austria 29.6% compare
- 30 Guinea 29.6% compare
- 32 Brazil 29.4% compare
More climate change data for Least developed countries
- Population growth 2.3% (2025)
- Population, total 1.21 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.6% (2025)
- Urban population 444.81 million (2025)
- Urban population 36.6% (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 13.7% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 198.48 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 4.4% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 15.2% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 4.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in Least developed countries?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Least developed countries was 11.2% 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 Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 11.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 2014.
- How does Least developed countries rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- Least developed countries ranks 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed 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.
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.