Marine protected areas in United States
United States: Marine protected areas was 19 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Marine protected areas in United States, 2013–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, marine protected areas in United States stood at 19.
That represents a change of down 31.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, marine protected areas in United States peaked at 41.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 10.8, in 2014.
United States ranks 32nd of 174 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Marine protected areas in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 13.3 | — |
| 2014 | 10.8 | -18.8% |
| 2015 | 27.7 | +156.5% |
| 2016 | 41.1 | +48.4% |
| 2017 | 41 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 41.1 | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 41.1 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 37.4 | -9.0% |
| 2021 | 19 | -49.2% |
| 2022 | 19 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 19.1 | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 19 | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 19 | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 19 is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.7, 2.2× the median. (75 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Marine protected areas in United States 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +156.5% | 10.8 | 27.7 |
| 2021 | -49.2% | 37.4 | 19 |
| 2016 | +48.4% | 27.7 | 41.1 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 30.87 | 10.8 | 41.1 | 7 |
| 2020s | 22.08 | 19 | 37.4 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is marine protected areas in United States?
- Marine protected areas in United States was 19 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest marine protected areas recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 41.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest marine protected areas recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.8 in 2014.
- How does United States rank for marine protected areas?
- United States ranks 32nd out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is marine protected areas rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States 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).