Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Laos
Laos: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 48.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Laos, 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 Laos stood at 48.5%. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 72.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Laos peaked at 48.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 24.3%, in 2000.
Laos ranks 112th 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 Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.3% | — |
| 2001 | 24.3% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 24.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 24.3% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 24.3% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 24.3% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 24.3% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 24.3% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 26.3% | +8.1% |
| 2009 | 26.3% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 26.3% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 26.3% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 28.2% | +7.1% |
| 2013 | 28.2% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 28.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 28.2% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 28.2% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 28.2% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 28.2% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 35.9% | +27.4% |
| 2020 | 39.5% | +10.1% |
| 2021 | 48.5% | +22.7% |
| 2022 | 48.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 48.5% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 48.5% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 48.5% | +0.0% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 48.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 45.6%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 48.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 38.5%, 1.3× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 24.7% | 24.3% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.6% | 26.3% | 35.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.0% | 39.5% | 48.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More environment data for Laos
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.77 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9142 % 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 0.4183 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Laos?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Laos was 48.5% 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 48.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.3% in 2000.
- How does Laos rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- Laos ranks 112th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 72.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Laos 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 (%).