Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Colombia
Colombia: Share of marine territorial waters that are protected was 41.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Colombia, 2013–2025
Source: Protected Planet WDPA and WD-OECM data, UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of territorial waters.
Analysis
In 2025, share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Colombia stood at 41.1%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1,857.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Colombia peaked at 41.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 2015.
That places Colombia 12th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Colombia, year by year
| Year | % of territorial waters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 10.2% | — |
| 2014 | 10.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | -79.4% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 10.4% | +395.2% |
| 2018 | 17.1% | +64.4% |
| 2019 | 17.1% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 17.2% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 17.2% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 17.1% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 17.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 41.1% | +140.4% |
| 2025 | 41.1% | +0.0% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 41.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.9%, 43.3× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 41.1% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.0%, 21.1× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Colombia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +395.2% | 2.1% | 10.4% |
| 2024 | +140.4% | 17.1% | 41.1% |
| 2015 | -79.4% | 10.2% | 2.1% |
| 2018 | +64.4% | 10.4% | 17.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 9.9% | 2.1% | 17.1% | 7 |
| 2020s | 25.1% | 17.1% | 41.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More reference data data for Colombia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4113 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 19.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 9.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 2.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 61.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 94.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.24 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Colombia?
- Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Colombia was 41.1% in 2025, according to Protected Planet WDPA and WD-OECM data, UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of marine territorial waters that are protected recorded in Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 41.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of marine territorial waters that are protected recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 2015.
- How does Colombia rank for share of marine territorial waters that are protected?
- Colombia ranks 12th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of marine territorial waters that are protected rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,857.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colombia data come from?
- The figures 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 part of Share of marine territorial waters that are protected. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.