Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 34.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Saudi Arabia, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Saudi Arabia is 34.2%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 97.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Saudi Arabia peaked at 34.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 15.5%, in 2000.
That places Saudi Arabia 157th 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.5% | — |
| 2001 | 15.5% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 17.3% | +11.6% |
| 2003 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 20.8% | +19.9% |
| 2019 | 20.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 20.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 20.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 20.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 34.2% | +65.1% |
| 2024 | 34.2% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 34.2% | +0.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 34.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 52.5%, 65% of the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 34.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 34.7%, 99% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.9% | 15.5% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.0% | 17.3% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.5% | 20.8% | 34.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More environment data for Saudi Arabia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -52.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -27.86 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.424 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.53 % 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 9.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Saudi Arabia?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Saudi Arabia was 34.2% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 34.2% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.5% in 2000.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 157th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 97.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 (%).