Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 49.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in United Arab Emirates, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 49.9% 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 35.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in United Arab Emirates peaked at 49.9% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 5.9%, in 2000.
That places United Arab Emirates 107th 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 United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.9% | — |
| 2001 | 17.6% | +200.5% |
| 2002 | 17.6% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 17.6% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 17.6% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 17.6% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 17.6% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 19.2% | +8.8% |
| 2008 | 19.2% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 19.2% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 19.2% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 19.2% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 24.8% | +29.2% |
| 2013 | 25.1% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 36.8% | +46.9% |
| 2015 | 36.8% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 36.8% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 47.8% | +29.9% |
| 2018 | 49.9% | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 49.9% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 49.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 49.9% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 49.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 49.9% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 49.9% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 49.9% | +0.0% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 49.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 52.5%, 95% of the median. (83 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 49.9% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 34.7%, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.9% | 5.9% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.6% | 19.2% | 49.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.9% | 49.9% | 49.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More environment data for United Arab Emirates
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -80.98 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -85.4 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.331 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.5 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.87 % 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 1.89 % 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 United Arab Emirates?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in United Arab Emirates was 49.9% 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 49.9% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.9% in 2000.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 107th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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 (%).