Terrestrial protected areas in Ireland
Ireland: Terrestrial protected areas was 14.2% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Terrestrial protected areas in Ireland, 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 Ireland is 14.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial protected areas in Ireland peaked at 14.4% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 14.2%, in 2025.
Ireland ranks 130th of 213 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Terrestrial protected areas in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of total land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 14.3% | — |
| 2014 | 14.4% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 14.4% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 14.2% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 14.4% | 14.3% | 14.4% | 7 |
| 2020s | 14.4% | 14.2% | 14.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More climate change data for Ireland
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 18,098 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,665 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 14,433 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 13.83 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 515.47 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,902 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,899 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.17 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.0963 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial protected areas in Ireland?
- Terrestrial protected areas in Ireland was 14.2% 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 14.4% in 2014.
- What is the lowest terrestrial protected areas recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.2% in 2025.
- How does Ireland rank for terrestrial protected areas?
- Ireland ranks 130th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial protected areas rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ireland 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.