Gibraltar vs South Africa: Share of marine territorial waters that are protected
Gibraltar
14.2%
in 2025
South Africa
15.4%
in 2025
Gibraltar rank
40th
South Africa rank
39th
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected over time
- Gibraltar
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 15.4% against 14.2% in Gibraltar, a difference of 1.2%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Gibraltar's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 13 shared years of data; in 2013 it was South Africa ahead.
Gibraltar ranks 40th and South Africa ranks 39th of 174 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Gibraltar | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 11.0% | 12.5% | 1.5% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 15.5% | 13.1% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of marine territorial waters that are protected, Gibraltar or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 15.4% against 14.2% in Gibraltar as of 2025.
- What is the difference in share of marine territorial waters that are protected between Gibraltar and South Africa?
- 1.2%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Gibraltar and South Africa?
- 13 years are reported by both, from 2013 to 2025.
- How do Gibraltar and South Africa rank globally for share of marine territorial waters that are protected?
- Gibraltar ranks 40th and South Africa ranks 39th 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.