Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in South Korea
South Korea: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 43.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in South Korea, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 43.7% for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in South Korea peaked at 43.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 29.9%, in 2000.
South Korea ranks 130th 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 South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 29.9% | — |
| 2001 | 29.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 30.0% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 30.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 30.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 30.0% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 33.8% | +12.5% |
| 2007 | 34.0% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 37.7% | +10.8% |
| 2009 | 39.6% | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 39.6% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 39.8% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 39.8% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 40.0% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 40.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 40.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 40.2% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 40.2% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 40.3% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 42.9% | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 43.6% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 43.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 43.7% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 43.7% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 43.7% | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 43.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 52.5%, 83% of the median. (83 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 43.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 38.5%, 1.1× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 32.5% | 29.9% | 39.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.3% | 39.6% | 42.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.5% | 42.9% | 43.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % 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 -2.27 % 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 -0.2415 % 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) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in South Korea?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in South Korea was 43.7% 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 43.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.9% in 2000.
- How does South Korea rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- South Korea ranks 130th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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 (%).