Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in Uruguay
Uruguay: Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas was 53.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in Uruguay, 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 Uruguay is 53.8%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in Uruguay peaked at 53.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 16.8%, in 2000.
Uruguay ranks 80th of 190 countries on this measure, 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 Uruguay, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.8% | — |
| 2001 | 16.8% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 16.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 16.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 16.8% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 16.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 16.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 16.8% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 16.8% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 29.4% | +74.2% |
| 2011 | 31.1% | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 31.1% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 31.1% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 42.2% | +35.9% |
| 2015 | 53.8% | +27.3% |
| 2016 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 53.8% | +0.0% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 53.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 49.1%, 1.1× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 53.8% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 40.3%, 1.3× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.8% | 16.8% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.4% | 29.4% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.8% | 53.8% | 53.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 77 French Guiana 54.3% compare
- 78 Samoa 54.1% compare
- 79 Tanzania 54.0% compare
- 81 Cook Islands 52.1% compare
- 82 Saint Kitts and Nevis 51.7% compare
- 83 Peru 51.2% compare
More environment data for Uruguay
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.58 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.3 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.385 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.622 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.96 % 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 3.64 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in Uruguay?
- Protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas in Uruguay was 53.8% 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 53.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.8% in 2000.
- How does Uruguay rank for protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas?
- Uruguay ranks 80th out of 190 countries with data for 2025.
- Is protected area coverage of marine key biodiversity areas rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uruguay 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 (%).