Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Zambia
Zambia: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 41.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Zambia, 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 Zambia stood at 41.3%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Zambia peaked at 41.3% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 37.9%, in 2017.
That places Zambia 10th out of 213 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 38.0% | — |
| 2014 | 38.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 38.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 38.0% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 37.9% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 37.9% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 41.3% | +9.0% |
| 2020 | 41.3% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 41.3% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 41.3% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 41.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 41.3% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 41.3% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 38.4% | 37.9% | 41.3% | 7 |
| 2020s | 41.3% | 41.3% | 41.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 7 Liechtenstein 44.8% compare
- 8 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 42.1% compare
- 9 Hong Kong, China 42.0% compare
- 11 Slovenia 40.1% compare
- 12 Germany 40.0% compare
- 13 Luxembourg 39.1% compare
More climate change data for Zambia
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,795 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,752 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.55 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 169.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,153 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,033 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 120.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.67 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 4.29 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in Zambia?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Zambia was 41.3% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 41.3% in 2019.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.9% in 2017.
- How does Zambia rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- Zambia ranks 10th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.