Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in New Zealand
New Zealand: Share of marine territorial waters that are protected was 30.4% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in New Zealand, 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 New Zealand stood at 30.4%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of marine territorial waters that are protected in New Zealand peaked at 30.4% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 27.9%, in 2013.
New Zealand ranks 17th of 174 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % of territorial waters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 27.9% | — |
| 2014 | 30.4% | +9.0% |
| 2015 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 30.4% | +0.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 30.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.7%, 3.5× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 30.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.8%, 38.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 30.0% | 27.9% | 30.4% | 7 |
| 2020s | 30.4% | 30.4% | 30.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 14 Netherlands 33.5% compare
- 15 Seychelles 32.6% compare
- 16 Northern Mariana Islands 32.4% compare
- 18 Costa Rica 28.4% compare
- 19 Denmark 27.1% compare
- 20 Gabon 26.8% compare
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of marine territorial waters that are protected in New Zealand?
- Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in New Zealand was 30.4% 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 30.4% in 2014.
- What is the lowest share of marine territorial waters that are protected recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.9% in 2013.
- How does New Zealand rank for share of marine territorial waters that are protected?
- New Zealand ranks 17th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of marine territorial waters that are protected rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.