Protected areas — all countries

Protected areas — South Asia

Protected areas in South Asia in 2025 — 4.57%. Since 2013, the indicator has risen by 0.77 pp.

2025 4.57% +0.03 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 4.57%2025
Period minimum 3.67%2014

Trend over time

2013–2025 · % of territory

Protected areas — South Asia, 2013–20253.53.7544.254.54.7520132015201720192021202320252013: 3.8%2014: 3.67%2015: 3.74%2016: 3.74%2017: 3.76%2018: 3.76%2019: 3.76%2020: 3.76%2021: 4.43%2022: 4.43%2023: 4.46%2024: 4.53%2025: 4.57%
Change over the period: +0.77 pp Annual average: 0.06 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

South Asia 4.57%
World 16.98%
Protected areas — South Asia, by year South Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 4.57 +0.03 pp
2024 4.53 +0.07 pp
2023 4.46 +0.03 pp
2022 4.43 +0 pp
2021 4.43 +0.66 pp
2020 3.76 +0.01 pp
2019 3.76 +0 pp
2018 3.76 +0 pp
2017 3.76 +0.01 pp
2016 3.74 +0 pp
2015 3.74 +0.06 pp
2014 3.67 −0.12 pp
2013 3.8

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.