Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Belgium
Belgium: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 76.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Belgium, 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 terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Belgium is 76.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 15.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Belgium peaked at 76.5% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 54.5%, in 2000.
Belgium ranks 43rd of 240 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 54.5% | — |
| 2001 | 54.5% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 54.6% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 61.2% | +12.2% |
| 2004 | 62.0% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 64.3% | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 64.3% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 64.3% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 64.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 64.4% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 64.4% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 64.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 64.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 65.5% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 66.1% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 74.7% | +13.1% |
| 2017 | 74.7% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 75.2% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 75.2% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 75.2% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 75.5% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 76.2% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 76.5% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 76.5% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 76.5% | +0.0% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 76.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.5%, 1.5× the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 76.5% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 66.6%, 1.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 60.9% | 54.5% | 64.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.9% | 64.4% | 75.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.1% | 75.2% | 76.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More environment data for Belgium
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.574 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.19 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.5577 % 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 0.0605 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Belgium?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Belgium was 76.5% in 2025, according to BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 76.5% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.5% in 2000.
- How does Belgium rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- Belgium ranks 43rd out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium 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 terrestrial 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 Terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected areas (%).