Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Mexico
Mexico: Share of marine territorial waters that are protected was 22.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Mexico, 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 Mexico stood at 22.6%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 1,089.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Mexico peaked at 22.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2013.
That places Mexico 25th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Mexico, year by year
| Year | % of territorial waters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1.9% | — |
| 2014 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 21.8% | +1047.4% |
| 2017 | 21.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 21.6% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 21.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 21.6% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 21.6% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 21.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 21.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 22.6% | +4.6% |
| 2025 | 22.6% | +0.0% |
Mexico compared with similar countries
- Mexico's 22.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.9%, 23.8× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Mexico's 22.6% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.0%, 11.6× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 13.2% | 1.9% | 21.8% | 7 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 21.6% | 22.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
More reference data data for Mexico
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 16.66 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 32.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 32.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 13.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 84.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 157.18 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 9.55 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Mexico?
- Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Mexico was 22.6% 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 Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 22.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of marine territorial waters that are protected recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2013.
- How does Mexico rank for share of marine territorial waters that are protected?
- Mexico ranks 25th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of marine territorial waters that are protected rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,089.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mexico 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.