Countries by Protected Land (%)
Complete ranking of 213 countries • % • Updated 2026
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About Protected Areas Share Rankings
Seychelles leads all 213 countries in Protected Areas Share 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 Share Measures
Protected Areas % from World Bank Open Data, using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Why This Ranking Matters
Examining Protected Areas Share 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 Protected Areas Share
The 5 strongest Protected Areas Share reads.
Lowest Protected Areas Share
The 5 lowest Protected Areas Share reads.
Data Note
Rankings are based on the latest available data from World Bank Open Data, 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
Country Ladder
1stSeychellesAfrica68.1%2ndNew CaledoniaOceania59.6%3rdVenezuelaNorth America56.8%4thBhutanAsia51.6%5thLiechtensteinEurope44.8%6thBulgariaEurope44.3%7thTurks and Caicos IslandsNorth America43.5%8thHong KongAsia42%9thGreenlandNorth America41.9%10thZambiaAfrica41.3%11thSloveniaEurope40.5%12thTanzaniaAfrica40%13thBruneiAsia39.9%14thNamibiaAfrica39.9%15thCambodiaAsia39.8%16thPolandEurope39.6%17thGermanyEurope39.3%18thArmeniaEurope38.9%19thLuxembourgEurope38.7%20thCyprusEurope38.6%21stCroatiaEurope38.4%22ndGuineaAfrica37.6%23rdSlovakiaEurope37.5%24thBelizeNorth America37.3%25thCongoAfrica36.8%26thGreeceEurope35%27thBahamasNorth America34.6%28thComorosAfrica33.7%29thNew ZealandOceania33.4%30thSao Tome and PrincipeAfrica31.7%31stPanamaNorth America31.4%32ndPalauOceania31.4%33rdBoliviaSouth America30.9%34thBrazilSouth America30.6%35thTrinidad and TobagoNorth America30.6%36thSri LankaAsia30%37thBeninAfrica29.7%38thAustriaEurope29.6%39thJapanAsia29.5%40thMozambiqueAfrica29.5%41stBotswanaAfrica29.1%42ndMaltaEurope28.9%43rdFranceEurope28.6%44thUnited KingdomEurope28.4%45thZimbabweAfrica28.3%46thNorth MacedoniaEurope28.2%47thSpainEurope28.1%48thTogoAfrica28.1%49thIsraelAsia27.6%50thAndorraEurope27.3%51stCosta RicaNorth America26.5%52ndGibraltarEurope26.4%53rdSenegalAfrica26.3%54thDominican RepublicNorth America26.2%55thGuinea-BissauAfrica26.2%56thRomaniaEurope24.6%57thAlbaniaEurope23.6%58thEcuadorSouth America23.6%59thNepalAsia23.6%60thHondurasNorth America23.4%61stLesothoAfrica23.4%62ndMalawiAfrica23.1%63rdKiribatiOceania22.9%64thNetherlandsEurope22.9%65thCôte d'IvoireAfrica22.8%66thGeorgiaEurope22.8%67thPortugalEurope22.8%68thGabonAfrica22.7%69thHungaryEurope22.6%70thTajikistanAsia22.6%71stSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesNorth America22.6%72ndPeruSouth America22.5%73rdAzerbaijanEurope22.1%74thAustraliaOceania22%75thEstoniaEurope22%76thOmanAsia22%77thCzechiaEurope21.9%78thMontenegroEurope21.7%79thChileSouth America21.6%80thItalyEurope21.6%81stDominicaNorth America21.4%82ndNicaraguaNorth America21.2%83rdChadAfrica21%84thIcelandEurope20.9%85thMonacoEurope20.9%86thTuvaluOceania20.2%87thGuatemalaNorth America20.1%88thJamaicaNorth America19.9%89thMongoliaAsia19.8%90thArubaNorth America19.7%91stUnited Arab EmiratesAsia19.2%92ndPakistanAsia19.2%93rdEquatorial GuineaAfrica19%94thLaosAsia18.8%95thLatviaEurope18.5%96thSaudi ArabiaAsia18.5%97thThailandAsia18.4%98thSaint LuciaNorth America18.2%99thNigerAfrica18.2%100thLithuaniaEurope17.8%101stNorwayEurope17.8%102ndCabo VerdeAfrica17.6%103rdSouth KoreaAsia17.4%104thKuwaitAsia17.1%105thColombiaNorth America17%106thEthiopiaAfrica17%107thSaint Kitts and NevisNorth America16.9%108thUkraineEurope16.8%109thCuraçaoNorth America16.7%110thMarshall IslandsOceania16.6%111stAntigua and BarbudaNorth America16.5%112ndBurkina FasoAfrica16.5%113rdAmerican SamoaOceania16.4%114thBelgiumEurope16.3%115thTimor-LesteAsia16.1%116thUgandaAfrica16.1%117thPhilippinesAsia16%118thDenmarkEurope15.8%119thChinaAsia15.6%120thCubaNorth America15.6%121stQatarAsia15.6%122ndSwedenEurope15.5%123rdSouth SudanAfrica15.4%124thMexicoNorth America15.3%125thCongo, Democratic RepublicAfrica14.9%126thParaguaySouth America14.9%127thCentral African RepublicAfrica14.8%128thGhanaAfrica14.8%129thSurinameNorth America14.8%130thIrelandEurope14.4%131stKenyaAfrica14%132ndNigeriaAfrica13.9%133rdFinlandEurope13.6%134thSerbiaEurope13.4%135thMalaysiaAsia13.3%136thTongaOceania13.3%137thU.S. Virgin IslandsNorth America13.3%138thEgyptAfrica13.2%139thCanadaNorth America12.9%140thUnited StatesNorth America12.9%141stMadagascarAfrica12.7%142ndSierra LeoneAfrica12.6%143rdSwitzerlandEurope12.5%144thIndonesiaAsia12%145thBahrainAsia11.7%146thMoldovaEurope11.5%147thRussiaEurope11.5%148thCameroonAfrica11%149thAngolaAfrica10.8%150thBritish Virgin IslandsNorth America10.5%151stKazakhstanAsia10.1%152ndPalestineAsia10%153rdBosnia and HerzegovinaEurope9.5%154thUzbekistanAsia9.5%155thSouth AfricaAfrica9.5%156thBelarusEurope9.4%157thSaint MartinNorth America9.3%158thRwandaAfrica9.1%159thArgentinaSouth America8.8%160thGrenadaNorth America8.8%161stCayman IslandsNorth America8.8%162ndHaitiNorth America8.6%163rdIranAsia8.6%164thGuyanaNorth America8.4%165thEl SalvadorNorth America8.3%166thLebanonAsia7.9%167thTunisiaAfrica7.9%168thSamoaOceania7.8%169thIndiaAsia7.7%170thBurundiAfrica7.6%171stGambiaAfrica7.6%172ndVietnamAsia7.6%173rdMaliAfrica7.5%174thTurkeyEurope7.0%175thKyrgyzstanAsia6.8%176thMyanmarAsia6.6%177thPuerto RicoNorth America6.6%178thJordanAsia5.4%179thMauritiusAfrica5.0%180thAlgeriaAfrica4.7%181stIsle of ManEurope4.6%182ndSingaporeAsia4.6%183rdTurkmenistanAsia4.3%184thBangladeshAsia4.2%185thGuamOceania4.2%186thEswatiniAfrica4.2%187thVanuatuOceania4.2%188thLiberiaAfrica4.0%189thFijiOceania3.9%190thPapua New GuineaOceania3.7%191stAfghanistanAsia3.6%192ndUruguaySouth America3.1%193rdMaldivesAsia3.0%194thNorthern Mariana IslandsOceania2.8%195thFaroe IslandsEurope2.4%196thNorth KoreaAsia2.4%197thSolomon IslandsOceania2.4%198thBermudaNorth America2.3%199thSudanAfrica2.3%200thMoroccoAfrica2.1%201stFrench PolynesiaOceania1.8%202ndDjiboutiAfrica1.6%203rdIraqAsia1.5%204thBarbadosNorth America1.1%205thYemenAsia1.1%206thSint MaartenNorth America0.80%207thSyriaAsia0.70%208thMauritaniaAfrica0.60%209thLibyaAfrica0.10%210thEritreaAfrica0%211stMicronesiaOceania0%212ndNauruOceania0%213rdSomaliaAfrica0%
| 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% | Asia | 97% |
| 9th | Greenland | 41.9% | North America | 96% |
| 10th | Zambia | 41.3% | Africa | 96% |
| 11th | Slovenia | 40.5% | Europe | 95% |
| 12th | Tanzania | 40% | 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% | 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% | 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% | Oceania | 66% |
| 75th | Estonia | 22% | Europe | 65% |
| 76th | Oman | 22% | 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% | 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% | 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% | North America | 51% |
| 106th | Ethiopia | 17% | 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% | 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% | 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% | Asia | 33% |
| 145th | Bahrain | 11.7% | Asia | 32% |
| 146th | Moldova | 11.5% | Europe | 32% |
| 147th | Russia | 11.5% | Europe | 31% |
| 148th | Cameroon | 11% | 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% | 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 | 0.80% | North America | 4% |
| 207th | Syria | 0.70% | Asia | 3% |
| 208th | Mauritania | 0.60% | Africa | 3% |
| 209th | Libya | 0.10% | Africa | 2% |
| 210th | Eritrea | 0% | Africa | 2% |
| 211st | Micronesia | 0% | Oceania | 1% |
| 212nd | Nauru | 0% | Oceania | 1% |
| 213rd | Somalia | 0% | Africa | 0% |