Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Iceland
Iceland: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 19.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Iceland, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 19.6% 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 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Iceland peaked at 19.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12.9%, in 2000.
That places Iceland 197th out of 240 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom 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 Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.9% | — |
| 2001 | 12.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 13.0% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 14.8% | +14.0% |
| 2007 | 14.8% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 14.8% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 16.1% | +8.6% |
| 2010 | 16.1% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 16.4% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 18.3% | +11.7% |
| 2013 | 18.3% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 18.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 18.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 18.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 18.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 18.3% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 18.3% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 18.3% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 19.6% | +7.0% |
| 2022 | 19.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 19.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 19.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 19.6% | +0.0% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 19.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 52.5%, 37% of the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 19.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 66.6%, 29% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.8% | 12.9% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.9% | 16.1% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.4% | 18.3% | 19.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 194 Falkland Islands 20.8% compare
- 195 South Africa 20.2% compare
- 196 Jamaica 20.1% compare
- 198 Israel 19.6% compare
- 199 Tajikistan 18.7% compare
- 200 Anguilla 18.6% compare
More environment data for Iceland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 3.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.587 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.47 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8549 % 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 -1.93 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Iceland?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Iceland was 19.6% 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 19.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.9% in 2000.
- How does Iceland rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- Iceland ranks 197th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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 (%).