Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in World
World: Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas was 19.3% in 2025. β² Rising
Latest (2025)
19.3%
Rank
5th
of 11 groups
All-time high
19.3%
in 2025
All-time low
12.9%
in 1990
Years of data
6
1990β2025
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in World, 1990β2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in World stood at 19.3%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in World peaked at 19.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 12.9%, in 1990.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.9% | 12.9% | 12.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 14.4% | 14.4% | 14.4% | 1 |
| 2010s | 17.8% | 17.4% | 18.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 19.0% | 18.6% | 19.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near World
- 3 Uzbekistan, Republic of 99.7% compare
- 4 Faroe Islands 87.5% compare
- 5 Montserrat, United Kingdom-British Overseas Territory 46.7% compare
- 5 Zambia 82.5% compare
- 6 RΓ©union 73.0% compare
- 7 Sri Lanka 69.5% compare
- 8 Pitcairn Islands 66.7% compare
More environment data for World
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.208 Β°C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.88 Β°C (2025)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import value 0.5619 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import value 0.0005 1000 USD per person (2024)
- Total fibre furnish β Production, annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Recovered paper β Production 241.28 million t (2024)
- Total fibre furnish β Production 431.35 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import value 4.18 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import quantity 1.50 million t (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in World?
- Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in World was 19.3% 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 19.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.9% in 1990.
- How does World rank for proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas?
- World ranks 5th out of 11 groups with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this World 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 Β· JSON β 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).