French Polynesia vs New Caledonia: Share of marine territorial waters that are protected
French Polynesia
87.4%
in 2025
New Caledonia
96.5%
in 2025
French Polynesia rank
5th
New Caledonia rank
4th
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected over time
- French Polynesia
- New Caledonia
How they compare
New Caledonia currently reports 96.5% against 87.4% in French Polynesia, a difference of 9.1%.
That makes New Caledonia's figure about 1.1 times French Polynesia's.
Across all 13 years both countries report, New Caledonia has been ahead every year.
French Polynesia ranks 5th and New Caledonia ranks 4th of 174 countries.
New Caledonia has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | French Polynesia | New Caledonia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.0% | 82.8% | 82.8% | New Caledonia |
| 2020s | 14.6% | 97.0% | 82.4% | New Caledonia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of marine territorial waters that are protected, French Polynesia or New Caledonia?
- New Caledonia, at 96.5% against 87.4% in French Polynesia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in share of marine territorial waters that are protected between French Polynesia and New Caledonia?
- 9.1%, with New Caledonia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for French Polynesia and New Caledonia?
- 13 years are reported by both, from 2013 to 2025.
- How do French Polynesia and New Caledonia rank globally for share of marine territorial waters that are protected?
- French Polynesia ranks 5th and New Caledonia ranks 4th of 174 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Protected Planet WDPA and WD-OECM data, UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of marine territorial waters that are protected. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Marine protected areas are regions of intertidal or sub-tidal land and associated water, flora and fauna, and cultural and historical features that have been legally or effectively reserved for protection.