Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Lesotho
Lesotho: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 23.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Lesotho, 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
Lesotho recorded 23.4% for terrestrial and marine protected areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7,700.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Lesotho peaked at 23.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2013.
Lesotho ranks 48th of 213 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 0.2% | — |
| 2014 | 0.3% | +50.0% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.5% | +66.7% |
| 2021 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 21.3% | +4160.0% |
| 2024 | 23.4% | +9.9% |
| 2025 | 23.4% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 7 |
| 2020s | 11.6% | 0.5% | 23.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More climate change data for Lesotho
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 715.74 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,401 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 50.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 61.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 51.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 9.3 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1962 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.3322 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in Lesotho?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Lesotho was 23.4% 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 23.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2013.
- How does Lesotho rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- Lesotho ranks 48th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7,700.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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.