Terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area) in Switzerland
Switzerland: Terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area) was 12.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Terrestrial protected areas in Switzerland, 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
Switzerland recorded 12.5% for terrestrial protected areas in 2025.
The figure is up 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial protected areas in Switzerland peaked at 24.8% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 9.7%, in 2014.
Switzerland ranks 145th of 213 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area) in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of total land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 24.8% | — |
| 2014 | 9.7% | -60.9% |
| 2015 | 9.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9.7% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9.7% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9.7% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 10.0% | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 12.0% | +20.0% |
| 2021 | 12.1% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 12.1% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 12.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 12.5% | +3.3% |
| 2025 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 12.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 21.5%, 58% of the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 12.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 22.1%, 57% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 11.9% | 9.7% | 24.8% | 7 |
| 2020s | 12.2% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More climate change data for Switzerland
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 72.47 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 6,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,192 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,816 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 4.5 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 171.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 476.97 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 472.94 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 1.78 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial protected areas in Switzerland?
- Terrestrial protected areas in Switzerland was 12.5% 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 24.8% in 2013.
- What is the lowest terrestrial protected areas recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.7% in 2014.
- How does Switzerland rank for terrestrial protected areas?
- Switzerland ranks 145th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial protected areas rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.