Terrestrial protected areas in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Terrestrial protected areas was 3.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Terrestrial protected areas in Afghanistan, 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 land area.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 3.6% for terrestrial protected areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of up 800.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial protected areas in Afghanistan peaked at 3.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2016.
Afghanistan ranks 192nd of 213 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Terrestrial protected areas in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of total land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 0.4% | — |
| 2014 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | -75.0% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3.6% | +3500.0% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 7 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More climate change data for Afghanistan
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 23,854 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,965 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 17,889 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 22.51 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 638.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,345 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,090 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,255 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 4.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 44.82 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial protected areas in Afghanistan?
- Terrestrial protected areas in Afghanistan was 3.6% 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 protected areas recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest terrestrial protected areas recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2016.
- How does Afghanistan rank for terrestrial protected areas?
- Afghanistan ranks 192nd out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial protected areas rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 800.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 protected areas (% of total land 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 areas, unclassified areas, littoral (intertidal) areas, and sites protected under local or provincial law are excluded.