Share of freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in New Zealand
New Zealand: Share of freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 24.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in New Zealand, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of freshwater key biodiversity areas that are protected in New Zealand is 24.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of freshwater key biodiversity areas that are protected in New Zealand peaked at 24.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 18.0%, in 2000.
New Zealand ranks 134th of 164 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Share of freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.0% | — |
| 2001 | 18.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 18.2% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 18.2% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 18.3% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 18.8% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 20.5% | +8.7% |
| 2007 | 20.9% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 21.5% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 22.9% | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 23.1% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 23.4% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 23.5% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 24.0% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 24.2% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 24.2% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 24.2% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 24.2% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 24.5% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 24.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 24.5% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 24.5% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 24.5% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.5% | 18.0% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.7% | 22.9% | 24.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.5% | 24.5% | 24.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More environment data for New Zealand
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2131 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.69 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.379 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs — Production, annual growth rate -0.1995 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs, non-coniferous — Production, annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other industrial roundwood — Production, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1990)
- Other industrial roundwood, non-coniferous (production) — Production -100 % change on previous year (1990)
- Sawnwood — Production, annual growth rate 11.44 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of freshwater key biodiversity areas that are protected in New Zealand?
- Share of freshwater key biodiversity areas that are protected in New Zealand was 24.5% in 2025, according to BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of freshwater key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 24.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of freshwater key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.0% in 2000.
- How does New Zealand rank for share of freshwater key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- New Zealand ranks 134th out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of freshwater key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average proportion of Freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected areas (%).