Marine protected areas in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Marine protected areas was 46.8 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Marine protected areas in United Kingdom, 2013–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for marine protected areas in United Kingdom is 46.8, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 274.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, marine protected areas in United Kingdom peaked at 46.8 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.7, in 2013.
That places United Kingdom 8th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Marine protected areas in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 5.7 | — |
| 2014 | 16.5 | +189.5% |
| 2015 | 12.5 | -24.2% |
| 2016 | 21.6 | +72.8% |
| 2017 | 29 | +34.3% |
| 2018 | 28.9 | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 29.2 | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 44.2 | +51.4% |
| 2021 | 44.1 | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 44.1 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 44.1 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 46.8 | +6.1% |
| 2025 | 46.8 | +0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 46.8 is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.7, 5.4× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 46.8 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11, 4.3× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Marine protected areas in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +189.5% | 5.7 | 16.5 |
| 2016 | +72.8% | 12.5 | 21.6 |
| 2020 | +51.4% | 29.2 | 44.2 |
| 2017 | +34.3% | 21.6 | 29 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 20.49 | 5.7 | 29.2 | 7 |
| 2020s | 45.02 | 44.1 | 46.8 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is marine protected areas in United Kingdom?
- Marine protected areas in United Kingdom was 46.8 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest marine protected areas recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 46.8 in 2024.
- What is the lowest marine protected areas recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7 in 2013.
- How does United Kingdom rank for marine protected areas?
- United Kingdom ranks 8th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is marine protected areas rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 274.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Marine protected areas. 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).