Protected areas — all countries

Protected areas — Australia

Protected areas in Australia in 2025 — 33.5%. Ranked 22 in the world out of 213. Since 2013, the indicator has risen by 5.4 pp.

2025 33.5% +0 pp vs 2024
World rank 22of 213
Period maximum 33.5%2024
Period minimum 28.1%2013

Trend over time

2013–2025 · % of territory

Protected areas — Australia, 2013–20252830323420132015201720192021202320252013: 28.1%2014: 29%2015: 28.7%2016: 28.6%2017: 29.7%2018: 29.7%2019: 29.9%2020: 30.4%2021: 32.1%2022: 32.1%2023: 32.1%2024: 33.5%2025: 33.5%
Change over the period: +5.4 pp Annual average: 0.45 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Australia

Australia 33.5%
World 16.98%
Protected areas — Australia, by year Australia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 33.5 +0 pp
2024 33.5 +1.4 pp
2023 32.1 +0 pp
2022 32.1 +0 pp
2021 32.1 +1.7 pp
2020 30.4 +0.5 pp
2019 29.9 +0.2 pp
2018 29.7 +0 pp
2017 29.7 +1.1 pp
2016 28.6 −0.1 pp
2015 28.7 −0.3 pp
2014 29 +0.9 pp
2013 28.1

Australia and New Zealand, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

AU Australia 33.5 NZ New Zealand 30.6

About the indicator

The share of terrestrial and marine protected areas in the total area of a country: national parks, nature reserves, natural monuments, sanctuaries and other IUCN categories. The target set by the Kunming-Montreal framework is 30 percent of land and sea under protection by 2030.

Important: The aggregate is weighted by total area rather than land area: protected areas include marine waters as well.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.