Share of forest area within protected areas in Germany
Germany: Share of forest area within protected areas was 28.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of forest area within protected areas in Germany, 2000–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Germany recorded 28.9% for share of forest area within protected areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of forest area within protected areas in Germany peaked at 28.9% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 18.7%, in 2000.
That places Germany 66th out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of forest area within protected areas in Germany, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.7% | — |
| 2010 | 28.9% | +54.6% |
| 2015 | 28.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 28.9% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 28.9% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 28.9% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 28.9% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 28.9% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 28.9% | +0.0% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 28.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.0%, 1.8× the median. (69 countries reporting)
- Germany's 28.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 22.7%, 1.3× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.7% | 18.7% | 18.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 28.9% | 28.9% | 28.9% | 6 |
| 2020s | 28.9% | 28.9% | 28.9% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More environment data for Germany
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.613 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.11 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.65 % 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 -0.0079 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of forest area within protected areas in Germany?
- Share of forest area within protected areas in Germany was 28.9% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 28.9% in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.7% in 2000.
- How does Germany rank for share of forest area within protected areas?
- Germany ranks 66th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of forest area within protected areas rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany 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 — 9 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 (%).