Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Uruguay
Uruguay: Share of marine territorial waters that are protected was 1.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Uruguay, 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
The most recent figure for share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Uruguay is 1.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of up 400.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Uruguay peaked at 1.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2013.
Uruguay ranks 95th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | % of territorial waters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 0.3% | — |
| 2014 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | +133.3% |
| 2017 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | +14.3% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.5% | +87.5% |
| 2025 | 1.5% | +0.0% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 1.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.7%, 17% of the median. (75 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 1.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.0%, 77% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 7 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 94 Philippines 1.6% compare
- 95 Cambodia 1.5% compare
- 95 Suriname 1.5% compare
- 98 Madagascar 1.4% compare
More reference data data for Uruguay
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2999 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.87 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3685 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2195 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 33.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.01 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Uruguay?
- Share of marine territorial waters that are protected in Uruguay was 1.5% 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of marine territorial waters that are protected recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2013.
- How does Uruguay rank for share of marine territorial waters that are protected?
- Uruguay ranks 95th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of marine territorial waters that are protected rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 400.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.
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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.