Terrestrial protected areas in Iceland
Iceland: Terrestrial protected areas was 20.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial protected areas in Iceland, 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
The most recent figure for terrestrial protected areas in Iceland is 20.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial protected areas in Iceland peaked at 20.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.7%, in 2014.
Iceland ranks 86th of 213 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial protected areas in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % of total land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 20.2% | — |
| 2014 | 16.7% | -17.3% |
| 2015 | 16.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 17.4% | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 18.2% | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 19.5% | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 19.9% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 20.3% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 20.8% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 20.8% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 20.9% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 20.9% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 18.1% | 16.7% | 20.2% | 7 |
| 2020s | 20.6% | 19.9% | 20.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More climate change data for Iceland
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 462.45 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 110.24 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 352.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 12.58 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.3504 kt (2050)
- Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.72 kt (2050)
- Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 92.72 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial protected areas in Iceland?
- Terrestrial protected areas in Iceland was 20.9% 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 20.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest terrestrial protected areas recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7% in 2014.
- How does Iceland rank for terrestrial protected areas?
- Iceland ranks 86th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial protected areas rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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.