Share of forest area within protected areas in Belgium
Belgium: Share of forest area within protected areas was 26.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of forest area within protected areas in Belgium, 2000–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 26.6% for share of forest area within protected areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of forest area within protected areas in Belgium peaked at 26.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2010.
Belgium ranks 67th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of forest area within protected areas in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.0% | — |
| 2010 | 3.8% | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 26.2% | +584.8% |
| 2020 | 26.6% | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 26.6% | +0.0% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 26.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.0%, 1.7× the median. (69 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 26.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 22.7%, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 15.0% | 3.8% | 26.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 26.6% | 26.6% | 26.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More environment data for Belgium
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.574 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.19 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.5577 % 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 0.0605 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of forest area within protected areas in Belgium?
- Share of forest area within protected areas in Belgium was 26.6% in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 26.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2010.
- How does Belgium rank for share of forest area within protected areas?
- Belgium ranks 67th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of forest area within protected areas rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of forest area within protected areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas (%).