Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas was 90.2% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in United Kingdom, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in United Kingdom is 90.2%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in United Kingdom peaked at 90.2% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 86.5%, in 2000.
That places United Kingdom 20th out of 184 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 86.5% | — |
| 2001 | 87.0% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 87.0% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 90.1% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 90.1% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 90.1% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 90.1% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 90.2% | +0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 90.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 65.7%, 1.4× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 90.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 65.6%, 1.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 89.2% | 86.5% | 90.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 90.2% | 90.2% | 90.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.2% | 90.2% | 90.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.13 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -2.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.47 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.8735 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -1.29 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in United Kingdom?
- Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in United Kingdom was 90.2% in 2025, according to BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 90.2% in 2011.
- What is the lowest protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 86.5% in 2000.
- How does United Kingdom rank for protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas?
- United Kingdom ranks 20th out of 184 countries with data for 2025.
- Is protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average proportion of Mountain Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected areas (%).