Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Africa
South Africa: Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas was 63.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Africa, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Africa is 63.0%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 41.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Africa peaked at 63.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 34.6%, in 2000.
That places South Africa 63rd 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 Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 34.6% | — |
| 2001 | 34.6% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 35.0% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 35.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 44.4% | +26.8% |
| 2005 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 44.5% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 46.0% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 46.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 63.0% | +36.9% |
| 2020 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 40.6% | 34.6% | 44.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.6% | 44.4% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.0% | 63.0% | 63.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 20.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.012 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Africa?
- Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in South Africa was 63.0% 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 Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 63.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.6% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas?
- South Africa ranks 63rd out of 190 countries with data for 2025.
- Is protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
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 Marine Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected areas (%).