Terrestrial protected areas in Malawi
Malawi: Terrestrial protected areas was 23.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial protected areas in Malawi, 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 Malawi stood at 23.1%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 36.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial protected areas in Malawi peaked at 23.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.9%, in 2013.
Malawi ranks 63rd 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 Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of total land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 16.9% | — |
| 2014 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 17.4% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 22.9% | +31.6% |
| 2019 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 23.1% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 23.1% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 18.7% | 16.9% | 22.9% | 7 |
| 2020s | 23.0% | 22.9% | 23.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More climate change data for Malawi
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,106 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,501 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.06 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 89.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,185 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,819 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 366.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 10.64 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 13.09 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial protected areas in Malawi?
- Terrestrial protected areas in Malawi was 23.1% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 23.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest terrestrial protected areas recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.9% in 2013.
- How does Malawi rank for terrestrial protected areas?
- Malawi ranks 63rd out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial protected areas rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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.