01 May 26
May 2026 update of the WDPCA and GD-PAME
The WDPA and WD-OECM have merged to become the WDPCA. Read the full article here: https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/news-and-storie...
The total number of protected areas and OECMs in the May 2026 release of the World Database on Protected and Conserved Areas (WDPCA) is 320,370: 312,883 protected areas covering 245 countries and territories and 7,487 OECMs covering 17 countries and territories. Of the records in the WDPCA, 314,422 are polygons and 7,807 are points (some protected areas and OECMs have multiple parcels, meaning the number of records is higher than the number of protected areas and OECMs).
No new records were added in the May 2026 release of the Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME)
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Highlights:
Chile: A complete national update for Chile including the addition of 4 new protected areas.
Colombia: A complete national update for Colombia, including the addition of 77 new protected areas (PAs), 72 of which are Reservas Naturales de la Sociedad Civil (private protected areas), updates to the spatial data for 59 PAs, and the removal of 26 private protected areas.
Saudi Arabia: A complete national update for Saudi Arabia, including the addition of 28 new protected areas, including 2 new marine protected areas and the updating/verification of 73 existing sites.
Indonesia: The addition of one new marine protected area for Indonesia.
Peru: The addition of two new OECMs for Peru.
Sri Lanka: The additon of 14 new Environment Protected Areas (EPAS) for Sri Lanka.
| ISO3/Dataset | Designation Type | Designation name | Polygons (+) | Polygons (-) | Polygons Updated/ verified | Points (+) | Points (-) | Points Updated/verified | Point to polygon | Polygon to point |
| Oman | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colombia | National | National designations | 77 | 26 | 1,760 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peru | National | National designations | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | National | National designations | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Indonesia | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Saudi Arabia | National | National designations | 28 | 0 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Russian Federation | National | National designations | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taiwan (Province of China) | National | National designations | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Myanmar | National | National designations | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chile | National | National designations | 4 | 0 | 268 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Updated: Modifications/updates of the geometry and/or attributes of existing features in the WDPCA (i.e. features with existing SITE_IDs). Also covers features that have been verified as accurate (i.e. no changes need to be made)
Removed: Number of features removed from the WDPCA (i.e. SITE_IDs removed from the database).
Added: Number of features added to the WDPCA (i.e. new SITE_IDs created).
Map of protected areas and OECMs:
Citation: UNEP-WCMC (2026). Map of Protected Areas and OECMs, May 2026. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net
Summary of current data in preparation:
| Dataset | Status |
| Angola | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Bahamas | Final Approval Stages |
| Benin | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Botswana | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Brazil | New Dataset Received |
| Burkina Faso | Final Approval Stages |
| Burundi | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Cameroon | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Cayman Islands | New Dataset Received |
| Central African Republic | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Chad | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Final Approval Stages |
| Congo | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Curaçao | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Democratic People's Republic of Korea | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Equatorial Guinea | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| French Polynesia | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Gabon | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Ghana | Final Approval Stages |
| India | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Iraq | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Isle of Man | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Jordan | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Liberia | Final Approval Stages |
| Maldives | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Mali | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Mexico | New Dataset Received |
| Philippines | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Republic of Korea | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Rwanda | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Singapore | Final Approval Stages |
| Sri Lanka | Final Approval Stages |
| Thailand | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Viet Nam | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Yemen | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
The data set status is defined as one of: 1) New Dataset Received, 2) Under Review by UNEP-WCMC, 3) Under Validation by Data Provider, or 4) Final Approval Stages.
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