Terrestrial and marine protected areas in United States of America
United States of America: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 15.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in United States of America, 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
The most recent figure for terrestrial and marine protected areas in United States of America is 15.8%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in United States of America peaked at 26.6% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 12.0%, in 2014.
United States of America ranks 82nd of 213 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 13.5% | — |
| 2014 | 12.0% | -11.1% |
| 2015 | 20.1% | +67.5% |
| 2016 | 26.3% | +30.8% |
| 2017 | 26.6% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 26.3% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 26.3% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 23.9% | -9.1% |
| 2021 | 15.9% | -33.5% |
| 2022 | 15.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 15.9% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 15.8% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 15.8% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 21.6% | 12.0% | 26.6% | 7 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 15.8% | 23.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
- 79 Uganda 16.1% compare
- 79 United Arab Emirates 16.1% compare
- 81 Sweden 15.9% compare
- 83 South Sudan 15.4% compare
- 84 Dominican Republic 15.3% compare
- 85 Pakistan 15.2% compare
More climate change data for United States of America
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 4.1% (2100)
- Urban population 80.2% (2025)
- Urban population 274.08 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.6% (2025)
- Population, total 341.79 million (2025)
- Population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Annual Net Emissions/Removals 6,164 (2024)
- Temperature change with respect to a baseline climatology 1.95 (2024)
- Per capita CO₂ emissions vs. per capita energy use 14.2 tonnes per person (2024)
- Share of global cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change 20.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in United States of America?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in United States of America was 15.8% 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 United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 26.6% in 2017.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.0% in 2014.
- How does United States of America rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- United States of America ranks 82nd out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America 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.