21 December 21
December 2021 update of the WDPA and WD-OECM
The total number of protected area records in the December 2021 release of the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is 270,361, comprising 258,255 polygons and 12,106 points and covering 245 countries and territories.
The total number of other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) in the December 2021 release of the WD-OECM is 671, comprising 535 polygons and 136 points and covering 9 countries and territories.
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Highlights:
Australia: Complete update of Australia's data
Ecuador: The addition of an ICCA to Ecuador. The territory of Pueblo Shuar Arutam is approximately 233,169.73 hectares and is composed of 6 Shuar Associations and 47 communities. They work to improve the quality of life of families from the sustainable use of livelihoods, the use of cultural, scientific, technological and artistic potential of their communities
Europe: This represents the only Nationally designated areas (CDDA) update for 2021 from the European Environment Agency (EEA). As per previous CDDA updates it constitutes an update to over 100,000 nationally designated sites across Europe. Of particular note are the changes to Estonia (1837 new sites), Finland (990 new sites), Switzerland (333 new sites), and Sweden (203 new sites).
Jamaica: A partial update for Jamaica. This is the first country update since 2010. All sites with 'Forest Reserves' and 'Forest Management Areas' designation have been updated. This update included the addition of 31 are new terrestrial protected areas (all with IUCN category VI): 18 Forest Reserves and 13 Forest Management Areas. This update was facilitated by the Caribbean Protected Areas Gateway (CPAG) through the BIOPAMA programme
Panama: This is a complete update for Panama, including boundaries updated for the Cordillera de Coiba Area of Managed Resources (IUCN category VI) - Panama has extended this MPA from 17,213 km2 to 67,909 km2. Now all Ramsar sites and All UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserves in Pamana are represented by polygons.
South Africa: A complete update of South Africa's national data on protected areas and OECMs (Q2, 2021). 7 new sites added: Bezuidenhoutshoek Nature Reserve, Strathkop Nature Reserve, Solomon Gijima Dindikazi Nature Reserve, Thule Nature Reserve, Uvemvane Nature Reserve, Manyoni Private Game Reserve, Rietkraal Nature Reserve
| Polygons | Points | |||||||||
| Country | Designation Type | Designation name | Polygons (+) | Polygons (-) | Polygons Updated/ verified | Points (+) | Points (-) | Points Updated/verified | Point to polygon | Polygon to point |
| Åland Islands | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Albania | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 742 | 0 | 0 |
| Austria | National | National designations | 21 | 12 | 1210 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Belgium | National | National designations | 107 | 13 | 1498 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bulgaria | National | National designations | 5 | 0 | 1049 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Switzerland | National | National designations | 682 | 349 | 10037 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cyprus | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 59 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Czech Republic | National | National designations | 18 | 10 | 2702 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Germany | National | National designations | 196 | 139 | 17607 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denmark | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 596 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Spain | National | National designations | 20 | 0 | 1816 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Estonia | National | National designations | 1963 | 132 | 13734 | 16 | 23 | 870 | 6 | 0 |
| Finland | National | National designations | 1000 | 10 | 13773 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| France | National | National designations | 81 | 11 | 3892 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greece | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 803 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Croatia | National | National designations | 3 | 2 | 322 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 0 | 0 |
| Hungary | National | National designations | 12 | 0 | 311 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ireland | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 155 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Iceland | National | National designations | 8 | 1 | 116 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Italy | National | National designations | 0 | 1 | 875 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Liechtenstein | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lithuania | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 479 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Luxembourg | National | National designations | 2 | 0 | 134 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Latvia | National | National designations | 2 | 0 | 680 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| The Republic of North Macedonia | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Malta | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 269 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Montenegro | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
| Netherlands | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 194 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Norway | National | National designations | 61 | 7 | 3180 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Poland | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 2057 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Portugal | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 234 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Romania | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 944 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Serbia | National | National designations | 4 | 1 | 373 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Slovakia | National | National designations | 9 | 15 | 1176 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Slovenia | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 1042 | 0 | 2 | 863 | 0 | 0 |
| Sweden | National | National designations | 208 | 5 | 14888 | 1 | 1 | 1169 | 0 | 0 |
| Ecuador | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| South Africa | National | National designations | 7 | 0 | 1594 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| International | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| International | World Heritage Site | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| International | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| National | OECM | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Panama | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| International | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| International | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Jamaica | National | National designations | 31 | 17 | 99 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thailand | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lebanon | National | National designations | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Regional | Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (Barcelona Convention) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| International | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Peru | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | National | National designations | 109 | 51 | 11299 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| International | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| International | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 0 | 0 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Antarctica | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| International | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Christmas Island | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| International | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Norfolk Island | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gibraltar | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Monaco | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Guadeloupe | National | National designations | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mayotte | National | National designations | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| French Polynesia | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Réunion | National | National designations | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Netherlands | International | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sint Maarten | International | Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance | 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 (2021). Protected areas map of the world, December 2021. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net
Download this map
Summary of current data in preparation: 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.
| Dataset | Status |
| Armenia | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Benin | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Bolivia | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Brazil | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Burundi | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Cameroon | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Central African Republic | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Costa Rica | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Côte D'Ivoire | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Dominican Republic | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Egypt | Final Approval Stages |
| Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Georgia | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Hong Kong | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| India | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Indonesia | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Israel | New Dataset Received |
| Jamaica | Under Review by Data Provider |
| Jordan | Final Approval Stages |
| Liberia | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Madagascar | New Dataset Received |
| Myanmar | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Nigeria | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Senegal | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Suriname | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Tanzania | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Togo | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Tunisia | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Uzbekistan | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Vanuatu | Final Approval Stages |
Resources
View allProtected Planet Report 2020
Tracking progress towards global targets for protected and conserved areas