Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Europe

Southern Europe: Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas was 35.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
35.7%
Rank
6th
of 32 groups
All-time high
35.7%
in 2025
All-time low
6.8%
in 1990
Years of data
6
1990–2025

Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Europe, 1990–2025

102030401990200720251990: 6.82000: 16.82010: 322015: 34.82020: 352025: 35.7

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Southern Europe recorded 35.7% for proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Europe peaked at 35.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 6.8%, in 1990.

Southern Europe ranks 6th of 32 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Europe, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas (%) in Southern Europe, 1990 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1990 6.8%
2000 16.8% +145.0%
2010 32.0% +91.1%
2015 34.8% +8.8%
2020 35.0% +0.4%
2025 35.7% +2.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 6.8% 6.8% 6.8% 1
2000s 16.8% 16.8% 16.8% 1
2010s 33.4% 32.0% 34.8% 2
2020s 35.3% 35.0% 35.7% 2

Countries ranked near Southern Europe

  1. 3 Uzbekistan 99.7% compare
  2. 4 Cook Islands 95.6% compare
  3. 5 Faroe Islands 87.5% compare
  4. 6 Zambia 82.5% compare
  5. 7 Réunion 73.0% compare
  6. 8 Sri Lanka 69.5% compare
  7. 9 Pitcairn 66.7% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More environment data for Southern Europe

All data for Southern Europe →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Europe?
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Europe was 35.7% 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 Southern Europe?
The highest recorded value was 35.7% in 2025.
What is the lowest proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas recorded in Southern Europe?
The lowest recorded value was 6.8% in 1990.
How does Southern Europe rank for proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas?
Southern Europe ranks 6th out of 32 groups with data for 2025.
Is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas rising or falling in Southern Europe?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Southern Europe 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.

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Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Europe. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-forest-area-within-legally-established-protected-areas-percent/southern-europe/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
220 places, 1,307 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed