Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Korea
South Korea: Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas was 47.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Korea, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 47.6% for protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 14.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Korea peaked at 47.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 28.9%, in 2000.
That places South Korea 94th out of 190 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 28.9% | — |
| 2001 | 28.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 29.5% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 29.6% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 35.7% | +20.7% |
| 2007 | 36.1% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 41.1% | +7.9% |
| 2010 | 41.1% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 41.4% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 41.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 41.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 41.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 41.5% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 41.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 41.5% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 41.6% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 45.0% | +8.2% |
| 2020 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 47.5% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | 47.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 47.6% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 47.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 47.6% | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 47.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 49.1%, 97% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 47.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 22.1%, 2.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 32.7% | 28.9% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.8% | 41.1% | 45.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.1% | 45.0% | 47.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 91 Cyprus 49.8% compare
- 92 United Arab Emirates 48.3% compare
- 93 Sudan 48.0% compare
- 95 Mozambique 47.2% compare
- 96 New Zealand 47.2% compare
- 97 Philippines 46.6% compare
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % 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 -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Korea?
- Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Korea was 47.6% in 2025, according to BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 47.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.9% in 2000.
- How does South Korea rank for protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas?
- South Korea ranks 94th out of 190 countries with data for 2025.
- Is protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average proportion of Marine Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected areas (%).