Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 54.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Democratic Republic of Congo, 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 Democratic Republic of Congo is 54.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of up 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 54.4% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 32.3%, in 2000.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 96th of 240 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.
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 32.3% | — |
| 2001 | 32.3% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 32.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 32.3% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 33.9% | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 33.9% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 40.4% | +19.3% |
| 2007 | 42.6% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 45.2% | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 47.2% | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 47.2% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 47.2% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 49.2% | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 49.2% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 49.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 49.2% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 51.2% | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 52.4% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 52.4% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 54.4% | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 54.4% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 54.4% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 54.4% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 54.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 54.4% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 54.4% | +0.0% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 54.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 46.4%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 54.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 55.5%, 98% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 37.2% | 32.3% | 47.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.2% | 47.2% | 54.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.4% | 54.4% | 54.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More environment data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.26 % 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 5.2 % 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 % 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) 0.338 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Democratic Republic of Congo was 54.4% 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 Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 54.4% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.3% in 2000.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 96th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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 (%).