01 November 25
November 2025 update of the WDPCA and GD-PAME
The total number of protected areas and OECMs in the November 2025 release of the World Database on Protected and Conserved Areas (WDPCA) is 310,367: 303,773 protected areas covering 244 countries and territories and 6,594 OECMs covering 16 countries and territories. Of the records in the WDPCA, 300,212 are polygons and 12,067 are points.
No new records were added in the November 2025 release of the Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME).
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Highlights:
Nigeria: Three Community Conservation Areas in Nigeria added to the WDPA, supported by the SW/Niger Delta Forest Project.
Ecuador: Complete update for Ecuador's 79 national protected areas, including the designation of Refugio de Vida Silvestre Bellavista - Tandayapa, Refugio de Vida Silvestre Rio Zunag, and expansion of Parque Nacional Sumaco Napo-Galeras, Parque Nacional Langanates and Pasochoa.
| Dataset | Designation Type | Designation name | Polygons (+) | Polygons (-) | Polygons Updated/ verified | Points (+) | Points (-) | Points Updated/verified | Point to polygon | Polygon to point |
| Nigeria | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ecuador | National | National designations | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Egypt | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Updated: Modifications/updates of the geometry and/or attributes of existing features in the WDPA or WD-OECM (i.e. features with existing WDPAIDs). Also covers features that have been verified as accurate (i.e. no changes need to be made)
Removed: Number of features removed from the WDPA or WD-OECM (i.e. WDPAIDs removed from the databases).
Added: Number of features added to the WDPA or WD-OECM (i.e. new WDPAIDs created).
Map of protected areas and OECMs:
Citation: UNEP-WCMC (2025). Map of Protected Areas and OECMs, November 2025. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net
Summary of current data in preparation:
|
Dataset |
Status |
|
Ascension Island |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Australia |
Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
|
Bahamas |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Bangladesh |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Benin |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Botswana |
Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
|
Burkina Faso |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Brazil |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Burundi |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Canada |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Cayman Islands |
New Dataset Received |
|
Curaçao |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Costa Rica |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Egypt |
New Dataset Received |
|
Emerald Network |
Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
|
European Database of Nationally Designated Areas |
New Dataset Received |
|
French Polynesia |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Ghana |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Fiji |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Hong Kong |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
India |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Indonesia |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Iraq |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Isle of Man |
New Dataset Received |
|
Jamaica |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Jordan |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Liberia |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Mali |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Oman |
New Dataset Received |
|
Pakistan |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Peru |
New Dataset Received |
|
Sierra Leone |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Sri Lanka |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Thailand |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Ukraine |
Final Approval Stages |
|
Viet Nam |
Under Validation by Data Provider |
|
Yemen |
Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
Resources
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Tracking progress towards global targets for protected and conserved areas.