environment
Protected areas
Terrestrial and marine protected areas as a share of territorial area.
Select comparisons
Data insight
Global perspective
The world estimate was 12.9% in 2025, up 16.2% from 2015. Latest country observations range from 0.0% in Bermuda (2025) to 99.5% in Monaco (2025), with the middle country observation at 11.6%; observation years may differ. Across the derived regional aggregates, South America reports 26.1%, while Asia reports 9.2%. Over roughly a decade, South America changed by +8.2%; Asia changed by +0.8%. Among countries with sufficient history, the largest absolute decade increase was +99.2% in Monaco, while the largest decrease was -17.1% in Morocco. Coverage includes 211 countries; their latest observation years span 2025-2025, with a median latest year of 2025.
Belgium over time
Belgium reports 18.6% in 2025. From 2015 to 2025, Belgium decreased by 5.6 percentage points (23.1%).
Europe and world context
This is 5.6 percentage points below Europe (2025). This is 5.7 percentage points above the world estimate (2025). From 2015 to 2025, Europe increased by 6.9 percentage points (40.2%).
Belgium has the 65th-highest latest observation among 211 countries and 22nd among 45 countries in Europe. Latest observation years span 2025-2025, so ranks are descriptive rather than perfectly synchronized.
- Regional spread: South America is at 26.1% (2025), compared with 9.2% in Asia (2025).
- Largest observed decade increase: Monaco changed by +99.2%.
- Largest observed decade decrease: Morocco changed by -17.1%.
- Coverage: 211 countries; the median latest observation is 2025, with latest country observations spanning 2025-2025.
Source
World Bank
Source series ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS. World and continent values are derived from available countries using population-weighted averages.