Countries by Protected Land (%)
Complete ranking of 213 countries • % • Updated 2026
About Protected Areas % Rankings
Seychelles leads all 213 countries in Protected Areas % with a value of 68.1, while Somalia ranks last at 0. The gap between top and bottom reflects meaningful global variation.
What Protected Areas % Measures
Protected Areas % is a comparative indicator tracked across countries by the World Bank. It provides a quantitative basis for cross-national comparison, enabling researchers and policymakers to benchmark national performance on this dimension against global peers.
Why This Ranking Matters
Examining Protected Areas % across all countries reveals patterns that might not be obvious at the national level. Regional clusters, outlier nations, and historical trajectories all become clearer when the full global picture is assembled in a single ranking.
Global Range
Values range from 0 (Somalia) to 68.1 (Seychelles) — an infinitely large difference across 213 countries.
Regional Patterns
European countries lead with 8 entries in the top 20, though representation spans multiple continents. Regional factors clearly play a role, but outliers from other parts of the world show that national policy and geography matter as much as continental trends.
Values are broadly distributed across countries, with the middle 50% ranging from 8.80 to 26.2. The overall spread from 0 to 68.1 reflects significant global variation.
Notable Outliers
The top of the ranking is competitive: Seychelles and New Caledonia are separated by only 14%, indicating that the leading positions could shift with updated data.
Continental Leaders
Highest Ranked
The top five countries for Protected Areas % are Seychelles (68.1), New Caledonia (59.6), Venezuela (56.8), Bhutan (51.6), and Liechtenstein (44.8). Together, these nations represent the global leaders in this metric.
Lowest Ranked
At the other end of the spectrum, Somalia (0), Nauru (0), Micronesia (0), Eritrea (0), and Libya (0.10) have the lowest values globally.
Data Source & Methodology
Rankings are based on the latest available data from World Bank, covering 213 of 249 countries and territories. Countries without data for this metric are excluded from the ranking. All values represent the most recently reported figures.
Top 10 Countries
Full Rankings
| Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st |  Seychelles | 68.1% | Africa | 100% |
| 2nd |  New Caledonia | 59.6% | Oceania | 100% |
| 3rd |  Venezuela | 56.8% | North America | 99% |
| 4th |  Bhutan | 51.6% | Asia | 99% |
| 5th |  Liechtenstein | 44.8% | Europe | 98% |
| 6th |  Bulgaria | 44.3% | Europe | 98% |
| 7th |  Turks and Caicos Islands | 43.5% | North America | 97% |
| 8th |  Hong Kong | 42.0% | Asia | 97% |
| 9th |  Greenland | 41.9% | North America | 96% |
| 10th |  Zambia | 41.3% | Africa | 96% |
| 11th |  Slovenia | 40.5% | Europe | 95% |
| 12th |  Tanzania | 40.0% | Africa | 95% |
| 13th |  Brunei | 39.9% | Asia | 94% |
| 14th |  Namibia | 39.9% | Africa | 94% |
| 15th |  Cambodia | 39.8% | Asia | 93% |
| 16th |  Poland | 39.6% | Europe | 93% |
| 17th |  Germany | 39.3% | Europe | 92% |
| 18th |  Armenia | 38.9% | Europe | 92% |
| 19th |  Luxembourg | 38.7% | Europe | 92% |
| 20th |  Cyprus | 38.6% | Europe | 91% |
| 21st |  Croatia | 38.4% | Europe | 91% |
| 22nd |  Guinea | 37.6% | Africa | 90% |
| 23rd |  Slovakia | 37.5% | Europe | 90% |
| 24th |  Belize | 37.3% | North America | 89% |
| 25th |  Congo | 36.8% | Africa | 89% |
| 26th |  Greece | 35.0% | Europe | 88% |
| 27th |  Bahamas | 34.6% | North America | 88% |
| 28th |  Comoros | 33.7% | Africa | 87% |
| 29th |  New Zealand | 33.4% | Oceania | 87% |
| 30th |  Sao Tome and Principe | 31.7% | Africa | 86% |
| 31st |  Panama | 31.4% | North America | 86% |
| 32nd |  Palau | 31.4% | Oceania | 85% |
| 33rd |  Bolivia | 30.9% | South America | 85% |
| 34th |  Brazil | 30.6% | South America | 85% |
| 35th |  Trinidad and Tobago | 30.6% | North America | 84% |
| 36th |  Sri Lanka | 30.0% | Asia | 84% |
| 37th |  Benin | 29.7% | Africa | 83% |
| 38th |  Austria | 29.6% | Europe | 83% |
| 39th |  Japan | 29.5% | Asia | 82% |
| 40th |  Mozambique | 29.5% | Africa | 82% |
| 41st |  Botswana | 29.1% | Africa | 81% |
| 42nd |  Malta | 28.9% | Europe | 81% |
| 43rd |  France | 28.6% | Europe | 80% |
| 44th |  United Kingdom | 28.4% | Europe | 80% |
| 45th |  Zimbabwe | 28.3% | Africa | 79% |
| 46th |  North Macedonia | 28.2% | Europe | 79% |
| 47th |  Spain | 28.1% | Europe | 78% |
| 48th |  Togo | 28.1% | Africa | 78% |
| 49th |  Israel | 27.6% | Asia | 77% |
| 50th |  Andorra | 27.3% | Europe | 77% |
| 51st |  Costa Rica | 26.5% | North America | 77% |
| 52nd |  Gibraltar | 26.4% | Europe | 76% |
| 53rd |  Senegal | 26.3% | Africa | 76% |
| 54th |  Dominican Republic | 26.2% | North America | 75% |
| 55th |  Guinea-Bissau | 26.2% | Africa | 75% |
| 56th |  Romania | 24.6% | Europe | 74% |
| 57th |  Albania | 23.6% | Europe | 74% |
| 58th |  Ecuador | 23.6% | South America | 73% |
| 59th |  Nepal | 23.6% | Asia | 73% |
| 60th |  Honduras | 23.4% | North America | 72% |
| 61st |  Lesotho | 23.4% | Africa | 72% |
| 62nd |  Malawi | 23.1% | Africa | 71% |
| 63rd |  Kiribati | 22.9% | Oceania | 71% |
| 64th |  Netherlands | 22.9% | Europe | 70% |
| 65th |  Côte d'Ivoire | 22.8% | Africa | 70% |
| 66th |  Georgia | 22.8% | Europe | 69% |
| 67th |  Portugal | 22.8% | Europe | 69% |
| 68th |  Gabon | 22.7% | Africa | 69% |
| 69th |  Hungary | 22.6% | Europe | 68% |
| 70th |  Tajikistan | 22.6% | Asia | 68% |
| 71st |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 22.6% | North America | 67% |
| 72nd |  Peru | 22.5% | South America | 67% |
| 73rd |  Azerbaijan | 22.1% | Europe | 66% |
| 74th |  Australia | 22.0% | Oceania | 66% |
| 75th |  Estonia | 22.0% | Europe | 65% |
| 76th |  Oman | 22.0% | Asia | 65% |
| 77th |  Czechia | 21.9% | Europe | 64% |
| 78th |  Montenegro | 21.7% | Europe | 64% |
| 79th |  Chile | 21.6% | South America | 63% |
| 80th |  Italy | 21.6% | Europe | 63% |
| 81st |  Dominica | 21.4% | North America | 62% |
| 82nd |  Nicaragua | 21.2% | North America | 62% |
| 83rd |  Chad | 21.0% | Africa | 62% |
| 84th |  Iceland | 20.9% | Europe | 61% |
| 85th |  Monaco | 20.9% | Europe | 61% |
| 86th |  Tuvalu | 20.2% | Oceania | 60% |
| 87th |  Guatemala | 20.1% | North America | 60% |
| 88th |  Jamaica | 19.9% | North America | 59% |
| 89th |  Mongolia | 19.8% | Asia | 59% |
| 90th |  Aruba | 19.7% | North America | 58% |
| 91st |  United Arab Emirates | 19.2% | Asia | 58% |
| 92nd |  Pakistan | 19.2% | Asia | 57% |
| 93rd |  Equatorial Guinea | 19.0% | Africa | 57% |
| 94th |  Laos | 18.8% | Asia | 56% |
| 95th |  Latvia | 18.5% | Europe | 56% |
| 96th |  Saudi Arabia | 18.5% | Asia | 55% |
| 97th |  Thailand | 18.4% | Asia | 55% |
| 98th |  Saint Lucia | 18.2% | North America | 54% |
| 99th |  Niger | 18.2% | Africa | 54% |
| 100th |  Lithuania | 17.8% | Europe | 54% |
| 101st |  Norway | 17.8% | Europe | 53% |
| 102nd |  Cabo Verde | 17.6% | Africa | 53% |
| 103rd |  South Korea | 17.4% | Asia | 52% |
| 104th |  Kuwait | 17.1% | Asia | 52% |
| 105th |  Colombia | 17.0% | North America | 51% |
| 106th |  Ethiopia | 17.0% | Africa | 51% |
| 107th |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 16.9% | North America | 50% |
| 108th |  Ukraine | 16.8% | Europe | 50% |
| 109th |  Curaçao | 16.7% | North America | 49% |
| 110th |  Marshall Islands | 16.6% | Oceania | 49% |
| 111st |  Antigua and Barbuda | 16.5% | North America | 48% |
| 112nd |  Burkina Faso | 16.5% | Africa | 48% |
| 113rd |  American Samoa | 16.4% | Oceania | 47% |
| 114th |  Belgium | 16.3% | Europe | 47% |
| 115th |  Timor-Leste | 16.1% | Asia | 46% |
| 116th |  Uganda | 16.1% | Africa | 46% |
| 117th |  Philippines | 16.0% | Asia | 46% |
| 118th |  Denmark | 15.8% | Europe | 45% |
| 119th |  China | 15.6% | Asia | 45% |
| 120th |  Cuba | 15.6% | North America | 44% |
| 121st |  Qatar | 15.6% | Asia | 44% |
| 122nd |  Sweden | 15.5% | Europe | 43% |
| 123rd |  South Sudan | 15.4% | Africa | 43% |
| 124th |  Mexico | 15.3% | North America | 42% |
| 125th |  Congo, Democratic Republic | 14.9% | Africa | 42% |
| 126th |  Paraguay | 14.9% | South America | 41% |
| 127th |  Central African Republic | 14.8% | Africa | 41% |
| 128th |  Ghana | 14.8% | Africa | 40% |
| 129th |  Suriname | 14.8% | North America | 40% |
| 130th |  Ireland | 14.4% | Europe | 39% |
| 131st |  Kenya | 14.0% | Africa | 39% |
| 132nd |  Nigeria | 13.9% | Africa | 38% |
| 133rd |  Finland | 13.6% | Europe | 38% |
| 134th |  Serbia | 13.4% | Europe | 38% |
| 135th |  Malaysia | 13.3% | Asia | 37% |
| 136th |  Tonga | 13.3% | Oceania | 37% |
| 137th |  U.S. Virgin Islands | 13.3% | North America | 36% |
| 138th |  Egypt | 13.2% | Africa | 36% |
| 139th |  Canada | 12.9% | North America | 35% |
| 140th |  United States | 12.9% | North America | 35% |
| 141st |  Madagascar | 12.7% | Africa | 34% |
| 142nd |  Sierra Leone | 12.6% | Africa | 34% |
| 143rd |  Switzerland | 12.5% | Europe | 33% |
| 144th |  Indonesia | 12.0% | Asia | 33% |
| 145th |  Bahrain | 11.7% | Asia | 32% |
| 146th |  Moldova | 11.5% | Europe | 32% |
| 147th |  Russia | 11.5% | Europe | 31% |
| 148th |  Cameroon | 11.0% | Africa | 31% |
| 149th |  Angola | 10.8% | Africa | 31% |
| 150th |  British Virgin Islands | 10.5% | North America | 30% |
| 151st |  Kazakhstan | 10.1% | Asia | 30% |
| 152nd |  Palestine | 10.0% | Asia | 29% |
| 153rd |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9.5% | Europe | 29% |
| 154th |  Uzbekistan | 9.5% | Asia | 28% |
| 155th |  South Africa | 9.5% | Africa | 28% |
| 156th |  Belarus | 9.4% | Europe | 27% |
| 157th |  Saint Martin | 9.3% | North America | 27% |
| 158th |  Rwanda | 9.1% | Africa | 26% |
| 159th |  Argentina | 8.8% | South America | 26% |
| 160th |  Grenada | 8.8% | North America | 25% |
| 161st |  Cayman Islands | 8.8% | North America | 25% |
| 162nd |  Haiti | 8.6% | North America | 24% |
| 163rd |  Iran | 8.6% | Asia | 24% |
| 164th |  Guyana | 8.4% | North America | 23% |
| 165th |  El Salvador | 8.3% | North America | 23% |
| 166th |  Lebanon | 7.9% | Asia | 23% |
| 167th |  Tunisia | 7.9% | Africa | 22% |
| 168th |  Samoa | 7.8% | Oceania | 22% |
| 169th |  India | 7.7% | Asia | 21% |
| 170th |  Burundi | 7.6% | Africa | 21% |
| 171st |  Gambia | 7.6% | Africa | 20% |
| 172nd |  Vietnam | 7.6% | Asia | 20% |
| 173rd |  Mali | 7.5% | Africa | 19% |
| 174th |  Turkey | 7.0% | Europe | 19% |
| 175th |  Kyrgyzstan | 6.8% | Asia | 18% |
| 176th |  Myanmar | 6.6% | Asia | 18% |
| 177th |  Puerto Rico | 6.6% | North America | 17% |
| 178th |  Jordan | 5.4% | Asia | 17% |
| 179th |  Mauritius | 5.0% | Africa | 16% |
| 180th |  Algeria | 4.7% | Africa | 16% |
| 181st |  Isle of Man | 4.6% | Europe | 15% |
| 182nd |  Singapore | 4.6% | Asia | 15% |
| 183rd |  Turkmenistan | 4.3% | Asia | 15% |
| 184th |  Bangladesh | 4.2% | Asia | 14% |
| 185th |  Guam | 4.2% | Oceania | 14% |
| 186th |  Eswatini | 4.2% | Africa | 13% |
| 187th |  Vanuatu | 4.2% | Oceania | 13% |
| 188th |  Liberia | 4.0% | Africa | 12% |
| 189th |  Fiji | 3.9% | Oceania | 12% |
| 190th |  Papua New Guinea | 3.7% | Oceania | 11% |
| 191st |  Afghanistan | 3.6% | Asia | 11% |
| 192nd |  Uruguay | 3.1% | South America | 10% |
| 193rd |  Maldives | 3.0% | Asia | 10% |
| 194th |  Northern Mariana Islands | 2.8% | Oceania | 9% |
| 195th |  Faroe Islands | 2.4% | Europe | 9% |
| 196th |  North Korea | 2.4% | Asia | 8% |
| 197th |  Solomon Islands | 2.4% | Oceania | 8% |
| 198th |  Bermuda | 2.3% | North America | 8% |
| 199th |  Sudan | 2.3% | Africa | 7% |
| 200th |  Morocco | 2.1% | Africa | 7% |
| 201st |  French Polynesia | 1.8% | Oceania | 6% |
| 202nd |  Djibouti | 1.6% | Africa | 6% |
| 203rd |  Iraq | 1.5% | Asia | 5% |
| 204th |  Barbados | 1.1% | North America | 5% |
| 205th |  Yemen | 1.1% | Asia | 4% |
| 206th |  Sint Maarten | 0.8% | North America | 4% |
| 207th |  Syria | 0.7% | Asia | 3% |
| 208th |  Mauritania | 0.6% | Africa | 3% |
| 209th |  Libya | 0.1% | Africa | 2% |
| 210th |  Eritrea | 0.0% | Africa | 2% |
| 211st |  Micronesia | 0.0% | Oceania | 1% |
| 212nd |  Nauru | 0.0% | Oceania | 1% |
| 213rd |  Somalia | 0.0% | Africa | 0% |