Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Africa
Africa: Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas was 22.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Africa, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2025, proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Africa stood at 22.5%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Africa peaked at 22.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 17.4%, in 1990.
That places Africa 15th out of 32 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 17.4% | — |
| 2000 | 17.9% | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 19.7% | +10.0% |
| 2015 | 21.1% | +7.3% |
| 2020 | 21.3% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 22.5% | +5.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.4% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 17.9% | 17.9% | 17.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 20.4% | 19.7% | 21.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 21.3% | 22.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Africa
More environment data for Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Temperature change 1.32 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.213 °C (2025)
- Primary wood and paper products (export/import) — Export value 5.54 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Roundwood, coniferous — Production 32.26 million m3 (2024)
- Roundwood — Export value 714,851 1000 USD (2024)
- Roundwood — Export quantity 3.78 million m3 (2024)
- Roundwood — Import value 182,147 1000 USD (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Africa?
- Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Africa was 22.5% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 22.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.4% in 1990.
- How does Africa rank for proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas?
- Africa ranks 15th out of 32 groups with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).