Most Protected Land
Most Protected Land: the dated top ten, the source and what this terrestrial protected areas as % of land area comparison tells us.
In this 2023 source snapshot, Seychelles has the highest reported value among eligible entries: 61.50. Venezuela, RB follows at 56.90. The unit is terrestrial protected areas as % of land area.
About the data
Snapshot retrieved 14 October 2026. 196 eligible observations. Among supported countries and separately reported territories with data. Missing observations are excluded, not treated as zero. Rankings use unrounded values; displayed values are rounded to two decimals.
| Country | Value |
|---|---|
| Seychelles | 61.5 |
| Venezuela, RB | 56.9 |
| Luxembourg | 55.8 |
| Bhutan | 49.7 |
| Brunei Darussalam | 46.9 |
| Palau | 44.2 |
| Liechtenstein | 42.6 |
| Hong Kong SAR, China | 41.9 |
| Zambia | 41.3 |
| Bulgaria | 41 |
What the numbers mean
Protected status is a designation, not a direct measurement of how well an area is managed. This indicator concerns terrestrial protected areas rather than adding marine areas. A high proportion can reflect a small land denominator. It cannot establish whether every protected habitat is intact or whether enforcement is effective.
Where the top ten ends
The tenth entry is Bulgaria at 41.00. This is a cutoff within the published comparison, not evidence that countries outside the table have no activity. The date and coverage are part of the answer: updating the source or changing the eligible territories can change who appears.
Source and method
Snapshot retrieved 14 October 2026. 196 eligible observations. Among supported countries and separately reported territories with data. Missing observations are excluded, not treated as zero. Rankings use unrounded values; displayed values are rounded to two decimals.
Source: World Bank