Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 99.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Bulgaria, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 99.3% for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Bulgaria peaked at 99.3% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12.8%, in 2000.
Bulgaria ranks 7th of 240 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.8% | — |
| 2001 | 14.8% | +15.1% |
| 2002 | 30.5% | +106.3% |
| 2003 | 30.5% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 30.5% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 30.9% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 31.0% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 97.7% | +215.0% |
| 2008 | 97.7% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 97.7% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 97.7% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 98.3% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 98.3% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 98.3% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 98.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 98.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 98.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 98.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 99.2% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 99.3% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 99.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.5%, 1.9× the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 99.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 66.6%, 1.5× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 47.4% | 12.8% | 97.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.5% | 97.7% | 99.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.3% | 99.3% | 99.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 6 Benin 100.0% compare
- 8 Liechtenstein 98.5% compare
- 9 Latvia 97.3% compare
- 10 Martinique 97.2% compare
More environment data for Bulgaria
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.39 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.573 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -6.02 % 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 -0.7509 % 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 Bulgaria?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Bulgaria was 99.3% 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 Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 99.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.8% in 2000.
- How does Bulgaria rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- Bulgaria ranks 7th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria 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
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About this data
Average proportion of Terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected areas (%).