Share of forest area within protected areas in Italy
Italy: Share of forest area within protected areas was 31.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of forest area within protected areas in Italy, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of forest area within protected areas in Italy is 31.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of forest area within protected areas in Italy peaked at 32.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7.2%, in 1990.
Italy ranks 57th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Share of forest area within protected areas in Italy, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7.2% | — |
| 2000 | 32.3% | +345.7% |
| 2010 | 31.4% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 31.8% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 35.1% | +10.6% |
| 2017 | 35.1% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 35.1% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 35.1% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 31.8% | -9.6% |
| 2025 | 31.8% | +0.0% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 31.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.0%, 2.0× the median. (69 countries reporting)
- Italy's 31.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 22.7%, 1.4× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 32.3% | 32.3% | 32.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 33.9% | 31.4% | 35.1% | 6 |
| 2020s | 31.8% | 31.8% | 31.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Italy
- 54 Lithuania 32.7% compare
- 55 Saint Lucia 32.6% compare
- 56 Honduras 31.8% compare
- 58 Guadeloupe 31.6% compare
- 59 Liechtenstein 31.5% compare
- 60 Peru 31.2% compare
More environment data for Italy
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.04 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.47 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.324 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 6.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.94 % 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 -0.2257 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of forest area within protected areas in Italy?
- Share of forest area within protected areas in Italy was 31.8% 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 32.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.2% in 1990.
- How does Italy rank for share of forest area within protected areas?
- Italy ranks 57th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of forest area within protected areas rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy 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.
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About this data
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas (%).