Highest % of protected land
Venezuela protects more than half its land — much of it part of the Tepuis and Gran Sabana.
Headline finding
Venezuela leads the world for highest % of protected land at 56.9% % of total area.
The full top 25: Highest % of protected land
Click any country to read its full profile.
- 1 Venezuela 56.9%
- 2 Luxembourg 51.5%
- 3 Poland 39.7%
- 4 Slovakia 37.6%
- 5 Germany 37.4%
- 6 Greece 35.8%
- 7 France 33.3%
- 8 Brazil 29.7%
- 9 Spain 28.4%
- 10 Costa Rica 28.0%
- 11 Colombia 23.3%
- 12 Australia 19.6%
- 13 China 14.7%
- 14 United States 13.0%
- 15 Norway 17.3%
- 16 Italy 21.5%
- 17 India 8.0%
- 18 Chile 21.4%
- 19 Peru 22.4%
- 20 Mexico 14.5%
- 21 Bolivia 23.3%
- 22 Finland 13.0%
- 23 United Kingdom 28.4%
- 24 New Zealand 30.0%
- 25 Tanzania 38.0%
What the numbers show
Venezuela's lead at the top of this ranking is 10.5% above the second-place country — a margin tight enough that the top spot has changed hands within the last five years and could change again.
The five countries leading the table — Venezuela, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Germany — together set the global benchmark. The next 20 countries fill the rest of the table, with Tanzania anchoring the list at 38.0%.
Figures are drawn from UNEP-WCMC World Database on Protected Areas 2024. We use this source because it produces a single, internally consistent dataset rather than aggregating from national statistics offices, which makes year-on-year comparison reliable. The next update is expected when the source publishes its next annual release — see the methodology section below for which year of data is currently shown.
Methodology and caveats
- What this measures
- % of total area
- Source
- UNEP-WCMC World Database on Protected Areas 2024
- Coverage
- Top 25 countries shown. Full source dataset covers all 195 sovereign states where data is available.
- Refresh cadence
- Updated annually as the source publishes new figures, typically autumn or spring.
- Known caveat
- Country definitions follow the source: where the UN, the World Bank and the CIA Factbook disagree on borders or recognition, we use the figure as published rather than reconciling between bodies. Comparisons across rankings should be made with this in mind.
Frequently asked
Which country tops the ranking for % of protected land?
Venezuela leads with 56.9% % of total area. Luxembourg is second at 51.5%, with Poland in third place. Full top-10 with sources is above.
What's the source for the % of protected land ranking?
The figures come from UNEP-WCMC World Database on Protected Areas 2024. We use this source because it publishes a complete country-by-country dataset using consistent methodology — the alternative of mixing national statistics offices would compromise comparability. Updated annually with the latest available vintage of the data.
How often are the % of protected land figures updated?
Once a year, in line with the source institution's publishing schedule. Major institutions like the World Bank, IMF and UNESCO publish annual updates in different months — typically autumn or spring — and the figures here reflect the most recently published vintage. The source footer on the ranking table shows which year's data is currently displayed.