01 October 25
October 2025 update of the WDPA, WD-OECM and GD-PAME
The total number of records in the October 2025 release of the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is 305,645 (303,770 protected areas), comprising 293,723 polygons and 11,922 points and covering 244 countries and territories.
The total number of records in the October 2025 release of the World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM) is 6,631 (6,594 OECMs), comprising 6,486 polygons and 145 points and covering 15 countries and territories.
No new records were added in the October 2025 release of the Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME).
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Highlights:
Kazakhstan: A partial update for Kazakhstan, including a boundary update to the Kenderly-Kayasan State Reserved Zone.
Peru: A complete update for Peru's protected and conserved areas, including two protected areas (Area de Conservacion Regional San Pedro de Chonta; Area de Conservacion Privada Ausangate) and ond OECM (Concesión para Conservación Lago Preto Paredón) were added.
Niger: A complete update of the national data, including the update of the boundary to the 'Termit et Tin-Toumma' Nature Reserve.
Lebanon: A complete update for Lebanon's protected areas, including 19 new Protected Forest sites.
Ecuador: Complete update for Ecuador's national protected areas and OECMs, including the addition of 1 new protected area, Refugio de Vida Silvestre Machay,and a new OECM, Dracula.
| Dataset | Designation Type | Designation name | Polygons (+) | Polygons (-) | Polygons Updated/ verified | Points (+) | Points (-) | Points Updated/verified | Point to polygon | Polygon to point |
| Kazakhstan | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peru | National | National designations | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peru | National | OECM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Niger | National | National designations | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Niger | International | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Ecuador | National | National designations | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ecuador | National | OECM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lebanon | National | National designations | 19 | 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, October 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 |
| Benin | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Botswana | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Burkina Faso | Final Approval Stages |
| Brazil | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Burundi | Final Approval Stages |
| Canada | Final Approval Stages |
| Cayman Islands | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Curaçao | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Ecuador | Final Approval Stages |
| Egypt | New Dataset Received |
| Emerald Network | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| 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 |
| Pakistan | Under Review by UNEP-WCMC |
| Sri Lanka | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Thailand | Under Validation by Data Provider |
| Ukraine | 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.