France vs Spain: Share of land area that is protected
France
28.8%
in 2025
Spain
28.1%
in 2025
France rank
44th
Spain rank
47th
Share of land area that is protected over time
- France
- Spain
How they compare
France currently reports 28.8% against 28.1% in Spain, a difference of 0.7%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 13 shared years of data; in 2013 it was Spain ahead.
France ranks 44th and Spain ranks 47th of 213 countries.
Across the 2 decades both report, France averaged higher in 1 and Spain in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | France | Spain | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 25.8% | 28.3% | 2.5% | Spain |
| 2020s | 28.2% | 28.1% | 0.1% | France |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of land area that is protected, France or Spain?
- France, at 28.8% against 28.1% in Spain as of 2025.
- What is the difference in share of land area that is protected between France and Spain?
- 0.7%, with France ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for France and Spain?
- 13 years are reported by both, from 2013 to 2025.
- How do France and Spain rank globally for share of land area that is protected?
- France ranks 44th and Spain ranks 47th of 213 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Protected Planet WDPA and WD-OECM data, UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, via World Bank (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of land area that is protected. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Terrestrial protected areas are areas of at least 1,000 hectares that are designated by national authorities in order to preserve their ecosystem services and cultural values.