Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Iran
Iran: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 41.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Iran, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Iran stood at 41.2%. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Iran peaked at 41.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 35.5%, in 2000.
That places Iran 138th out of 240 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 35.5% | — |
| 2001 | 38.6% | +8.7% |
| 2002 | 38.8% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 39.7% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 39.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 40.5% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 40.5% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 40.5% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 41.2% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 41.2% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 41.2% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 41.2% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 41.2% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 41.2% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 41.2% | +0.0% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 41.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 42.8%, 96% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Iran's 41.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 34.7%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.1% | 35.5% | 39.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.1% | 39.7% | 41.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.2% | 41.2% | 41.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More environment data for Iran
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -30.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -21.27 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.4 % 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 1.9 % 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 -0.0807 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Iran?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Iran was 41.2% 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 41.2% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.5% in 2000.
- How does Iran rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- Iran ranks 138th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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 (%).