Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 86.8% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
86.8%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
21st
of 240 countries
All-time high
86.8%
in 2019
All-time low
82.5%
in 2000
Years of data
26
2000–2025
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in United Kingdom, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 86.8% for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in United Kingdom peaked at 86.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 82.5%, in 2000.
United Kingdom ranks 21st of 240 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 82.5% | — |
| 2001 | 82.8% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 82.9% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 83.9% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 83.9% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 84.7% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 84.9% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 84.9% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 84.9% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 84.9% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 85.5% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 86.0% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 86.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 86.2% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 86.5% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 86.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 86.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 86.6% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 86.8% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 86.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.5%, 1.7× the median. (83 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 86.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 66.6%, 1.3× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 84.0% | 82.5% | 84.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 86.3% | 85.5% | 86.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.8% | 86.8% | 86.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.13 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.47 % 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 -0.8735 % 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 -1.29 % 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 United Kingdom?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in United Kingdom was 86.8% 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 Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 86.8% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 82.5% in 2000.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- United Kingdom ranks 21st out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 (%).