Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Western Europe
Western Europe: Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas was 29.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Western Europe, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2025, proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Western Europe stood at 29.7%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Western Europe peaked at 29.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 18.0%, in 1990.
That places Western Europe 8th out of 32 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Western Europe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 18.0% | — |
| 2000 | 18.0% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 28.4% | +57.7% |
| 2015 | 29.7% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 29.7% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 29.7% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.0% | 18.0% | 18.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 18.0% | 18.0% | 18.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 29.0% | 28.4% | 29.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 29.7% | 29.7% | 29.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Western Europe
More environment data for Western Europe
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.94 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.1 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.485 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.23 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total fibre furnish — Production, annual growth rate -4.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import value, annual growth rate -2.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Printing and writing papers — Import value, annual growth rate -2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Printing and writing papers — Import quantity, annual growth rate 2.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Newsprint — Import value, annual growth rate -8.97 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Western Europe?
- Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Western Europe was 29.7% 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 Western Europe?
- The highest recorded value was 29.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas recorded in Western Europe?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.0% in 1990.
- How does Western Europe rank for proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas?
- Western Europe ranks 8th out of 32 groups with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas rising or falling in Western Europe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western 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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CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).