Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in France
France: Share of marine territorial waters that are protected was 49.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in France, 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 France stood at 49.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 156.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of marine territorial waters that are protected in France peaked at 50.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 19.2%, in 2015.
France ranks 7th of 174 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in France, year by year
| Year | % of territorial waters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 20.4% | — |
| 2014 | 19.8% | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 19.2% | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 26.2% | +36.5% |
| 2017 | 30.7% | +17.2% |
| 2018 | 45.0% | +46.6% |
| 2019 | 48.9% | +8.7% |
| 2020 | 50.4% | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 49.8% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 49.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 49.8% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 49.8% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 49.2% | -1.2% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 49.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.7%, 5.7× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- France's 49.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.0%, 4.5× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in France 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +46.6% | 30.7% | 45.0% |
| 2016 | +36.5% | 19.2% | 26.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 30.0% | 19.2% | 48.9% | 7 |
| 2020s | 49.8% | 49.2% | 50.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
- 4 New Caledonia 96.5% compare
- 5 French Polynesia 87.4% compare
- 6 Kazakhstan 52.5% compare
- 8 United Kingdom 46.8% compare
- 9 Australia 45.4% compare
- 10 Germany 45.3% compare
More reference data data for France
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 18.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 11.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 106.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.3 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of marine territorial waters that are protected in France?
- Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in France was 49.2% 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 50.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of marine territorial waters that are protected recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.2% in 2015.
- How does France rank for share of marine territorial waters that are protected?
- France ranks 7th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of marine territorial waters that are protected rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 156.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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.