Terrestrial protected areas in France
France: Terrestrial protected areas was 28.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial protected areas in France, 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
In 2025, terrestrial protected areas in France stood at 28.8%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 12.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial protected areas in France peaked at 28.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 25.4%, in 2013.
France ranks 44th of 213 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial protected areas in France, year by year
| Year | % of total land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 25.4% | — |
| 2014 | 25.6% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 25.6% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 25.8% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 26.0% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 25.8% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 26.3% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 27.3% | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 28.0% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 28.4% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 28.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 28.6% | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 28.8% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 25.8% | 25.4% | 26.3% | 7 |
| 2020s | 28.2% | 27.3% | 28.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More climate change data for France
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 55,837 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,820 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 44,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,572 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 16,983 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 16,451 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 532.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 62.08 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.03 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial protected areas in France?
- Terrestrial protected areas in France was 28.8% 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 protected areas recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 28.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest terrestrial protected areas recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.4% in 2013.
- How does France rank for terrestrial protected areas?
- France ranks 44th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial protected areas rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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.