Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 5.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) stood at 5.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 8.2% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 2021.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 45th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 4.8% | — |
| 2014 | 8.2% | +70.9% |
| 2015 | 5.8% | -28.9% |
| 2016 | 6.1% | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 6.0% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 6.1% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 6.1% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 4.8% | -20.9% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 4.7% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4.7% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | +10.0% |
| 2025 | 5.1% | -2.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +70.9% | 4.8% | 8.2% |
| 2015 | -28.9% | 8.2% | 5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6.2% | 4.8% | 8.2% | 7 |
| 2020s | 4.9% | 4.7% | 5.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
More climate change data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
- Urban population 393.80 million (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 1.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 2.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.5261 units per person (2025)
- Urban population growth 2.0% (2025)
- Population, total 748.49 million (2025)
- Population growth 1.6% (2025)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 37.58 units per square kilometre (2023)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 5.1% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 8.2% in 2014.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 2021.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 45th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 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.