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 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
19.6%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
195th
of 238 countries
All-time high
19.6%
in 2021
All-time low
14.4%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Iceland, 2000–2024

051015202000201220242000: 14.4 %2001: 14.4 %2002: 14.4 %2003: 14.4 %2004: 14.4 %2005: 15.1 %2006: 15.4 %2007: 15.4 %2008: 15.4 %2009: 16.1 %2010: 16.1 %2011: 16.4 %2012: 18.3 %2013: 18.3 %2014: 18.3 %2015: 18.3 %2016: 18.3 %2017: 18.3 %2018: 18.3 %2019: 18.3 %2020: 18.3 %2021: 19.6 %2022: 19.6 %2023: 19.6 %2024: 19.6 %

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 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 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, 14.4%, in 2000.

That places Iceland 195th out of 238 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 15.0% 14.4% 16.1% 10
2010s 17.9% 16.1% 18.3% 10
2020s 19.3% 18.3% 19.6% 5

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 192 Falkland Islands 20.8% compare
  2. 193 Jamaica 20.1% compare
  3. 194 South Africa 19.9% compare
  4. 196 Israel 19.6% compare
  5. 197 Tajikistan 18.7% compare
  6. 198 Anguilla 18.6% compare

See the full ranking of 238 places →

More environment data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

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 2024, 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 14.4% in 2000.
How does Iceland rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
Iceland ranks 195th out of 238 countries with data for 2024.
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 — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected
Unit
%
Source
BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
238 places, 5,950 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Average proportion of Terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected areas (%)