Protected areas — all countries

Protected areas — Euro area

Protected areas in the Euro area in 2025 — 20.58%. Since 2013, the indicator has risen by 7.03 pp.

2025 20.58% +0.83 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 20.58%2025
Period minimum 13.53%2014

Trend over time

2013–2025 · % of territory

Protected areas — Euro area, 2013–202512141618202220132015201720192021202320252013: 13.55%2014: 13.53%2015: 14.36%2016: 15.38%2017: 17.31%2018: 18.25%2019: 19.07%2020: 19.39%2021: 19.46%2022: 19.52%2023: 19.52%2024: 19.75%2025: 20.58%
Change over the period: +7.03 pp Annual average: 0.59 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Euro area 20.58%
World 16.98%
Protected areas — Euro area, by year Euro area All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 20.58 +0.83 pp
2024 19.75 +0.23 pp
2023 19.52 +0 pp
2022 19.52 +0.06 pp
2021 19.46 +0.07 pp
2020 19.39 +0.32 pp
2019 19.07 +0.82 pp
2018 18.25 +0.94 pp
2017 17.31 +1.92 pp
2016 15.38 +1.03 pp
2015 14.36 +0.82 pp
2014 13.53 −0.02 pp
2013 13.55

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.