Share of land area that is protected in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of land area that is protected was 3.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of land area that is protected in Afghanistan, 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 total land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of land area that is protected in Afghanistan is 3.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of up 800.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of land area that is protected in Afghanistan peaked at 3.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2016.
That places Afghanistan 192nd out of 213 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of land area that is protected in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of total land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 0.4% | — |
| 2014 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | -75.0% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3.6% | +3500.0% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 3.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 12.6%, 29% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 3.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 10.0%, 36% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 7 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More reference data data for Afghanistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8991 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4362 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 18.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.38 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of land area that is protected in Afghanistan?
- Share of land area that is protected in Afghanistan was 3.6% 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 land area that is protected recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of land area that is protected recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2016.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of land area that is protected?
- Afghanistan ranks 192nd out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of land area that is protected rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 800.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 land area that is 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
Terrestrial protected areas are areas of at least 1,000 hectares that are designated by national authorities in order to preserve their ecosystem services and cultural values.