Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Switzerland
Switzerland: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 37.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Switzerland, 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 Switzerland is 37.7%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 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 Switzerland peaked at 37.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 24.1%, in 2000.
That places Switzerland 148th 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 Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.1% | — |
| 2001 | 28.5% | +18.5% |
| 2002 | 28.5% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 28.6% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 28.6% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 29.3% | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 29.3% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 29.5% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 34.8% | +18.0% |
| 2010 | 35.2% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 35.2% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 35.2% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 35.2% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 35.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 35.2% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 35.2% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 35.5% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 36.0% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 36.0% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 36.1% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 36.1% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 36.1% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 37.7% | +4.4% |
| 2024 | 37.7% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 37.7% | +0.0% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 37.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 52.5%, 72% of the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 37.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 66.6%, 57% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 29.1% | 24.1% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.4% | 35.2% | 36.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.9% | 36.1% | 37.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 145 Costa Rica 39.5% compare
- 146 Egypt 38.8% compare
- 147 United States 38.4% compare
- 149 Bangladesh 37.5% compare
- 150 Rwanda 37.1% compare
- 151 Malaysia 37.0% compare
More environment data for Switzerland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2925 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.4333 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.458 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.33 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2741 % 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 0.0914 % 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 Switzerland?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Switzerland was 37.7% 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 37.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.1% in 2000.
- How does Switzerland rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- Switzerland ranks 148th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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 (%).