Protected areas — all countries

Protected areas — Middle East & North Africa

Protected areas in Middle East & North Africa in 2025 — 7.8%. Since 2013, the indicator has fallen by 0.37 pp.

2025 7.8% +0.06 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 10.66%2014
Period minimum 4.65%2021

Trend over time

2013–2025 · % of territory

Protected areas — Middle East & North Africa, 2013–2025468101220132015201720192021202320252013: 8.17%2014: 10.66%2015: 8.81%2016: 5.51%2017: 5.62%2018: 5.64%2019: 5.66%2020: 4.68%2021: 4.65%2022: 4.66%2023: 6.05%2024: 7.74%2025: 7.8%
Change over the period: −0.37 pp Annual average: -0.03 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Middle East & North Africa

Middle East & North Africa 7.8%
World 16.98%
Protected areas — Middle East & North Africa, by year Middle East & North Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 7.8 +0.06 pp
2024 7.74 +1.7 pp
2023 6.05 +1.39 pp
2022 4.66 +0.01 pp
2021 4.65 −0.03 pp
2020 4.68 −0.98 pp
2019 5.66 +0.02 pp
2018 5.64 +0.02 pp
2017 5.62 +0.11 pp
2016 5.51 −3.3 pp
2015 8.81 −1.85 pp
2014 10.66 +2.49 pp
2013 8.17

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.