Share of land area that is protected in China
China: Share of land area that is protected was 15.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of land area that is protected in China, 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 China is 15.6%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of land area that is protected in China peaked at 17.1% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 15.6%, in 2018.
China ranks 120th of 213 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Share of land area that is protected in China, year by year
| Year | % of total land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 17.0% | — |
| 2014 | 17.1% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 17.1% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 17.1% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 17.1% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 15.6% | -8.8% |
| 2019 | 15.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 15.6% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 15.6% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 15.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 15.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 15.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 15.6% | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 15.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.6%, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 15.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.8%, 99% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 16.7% | 15.6% | 17.1% | 7 |
| 2020s | 15.6% | 15.6% | 15.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 118 Philippines 16.0% compare
- 119 Sweden 15.8% compare
- 120 Cuba 15.6% compare
- 120 Qatar 15.6% compare
- 123 South Sudan 15.4% compare
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of land area that is protected in China?
- Share of land area that is protected in China was 15.6% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 17.1% in 2014.
- What is the lowest share of land area that is protected recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.6% in 2018.
- How does China rank for share of land area that is protected?
- China ranks 120th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of land area that is protected rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.