Protected areas — all countries

Protected areas — Belgium

Protected areas in Belgium in 2025 — 18.6%. Ranked 65 in the world out of 213. Since 2013, the indicator has fallen by 5.7 pp.

2025 18.6% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 65of 213
Period maximum 26.1%2019
Period minimum 17.6%2020

Trend over time

2013–2025 · % of territory

Protected areas — Belgium, 2013–202517.52022.52527.520132015201720192021202320252013: 24.3%2014: 24.2%2015: 24.2%2016: 24.6%2017: 24.7%2018: 24.6%2019: 26.1%2020: 17.6%2021: 17.8%2022: 17.8%2023: 17.8%2024: 18.5%2025: 18.6%
Change over the period: −5.7 pp Annual average: -0.48 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Belgium 18.6%
World 16.98%
Protected areas — Belgium, by year Belgium All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 18.6 +0.1 pp
2024 18.5 +0.7 pp
2023 17.8 +0 pp
2022 17.8 +0 pp
2021 17.8 +0.2 pp
2020 17.6 −8.5 pp
2019 26.1 +1.5 pp
2018 24.6 −0.1 pp
2017 24.7 +0.1 pp
2016 24.6 +0.4 pp
2015 24.2 +0 pp
2014 24.2 −0.1 pp
2013 24.3

Western Europe, 2025

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

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.