List of largest protected areas explained

The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is compiled and managed by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, an executive agency of the United Nations Environment Programme.[1] It uses the IUCN and CBD definitions of protected areas to determine whether a site should be included in the WDPA.[2] The extent to which each area and the resources within are protected can vary significantly.

The largest protected areas – those exceeding an area of 250,000 square kilometres – are listed below in order of total area protected.[3] All are marine protected areas except for Northeast Greenland National Park – which is mostly terrestrial but also has a marine component – and three entirely terrestrial biosphere reserves in Brazil. Protected areas with multiple coterminous or overlapping designations (e.g. Northeast Greenland National Park and the corresponding Biosphere Reserve) are listed only once.

Currently, Marae Moana is the largest protected area in the world with a total area larger than Mexico (1,964,375 km2).

Largest protected areas of the world

RankName CountryLocation data-sort-type="number"Size (km2)
1Marae Moana Cook IslandsCook Islands1,976,0002017[4]
2French Southern Territories National Nature ReserveFrench Southern and Antarctic Lands1,600,0002016[5]
3Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area AntarcticaRoss Sea1,550,0002016[6] [7]
4Papahānaumokuākea Marine National MonumentHawaii and Midway Atoll1,508,8462006[8]
5Natural Park of the Coral Sea FranceNew Caledonia1,292,9672014[9]
6Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument United StatesCentral Pacific Ocean1,270,4802009[10]
7South Georgia Marine Protected Area United KingdomSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands1,240,0002012[11]
8Coral Sea Marine ParkCoral Sea989,8362018[12] [13]
9Protection zone around the French Southern Territories National Nature Reserve FranceFrench Southern and Antarctic Lands989,7872017[14]
10Northeast Greenland972,000 1974[15]
11Steller Sea Lion Protection AreasAlaska869,2062002[16]
12Pitcairn Islands Marine ReservePitcairn Islands834,3342016[17]
13British Indian Ocean Territory Marine Protected Area United KingdomBritish Indian Ocean Territory (disputed by Mauritius)640,0002010[18]
14Rapa Nui Marine and Coastal Protected AreaRapa Nui579,3682018[19]
15Palau National Marine SanctuaryPalau502,5382015[20] [21]
16Kermadec Benthic Protection AreaKermadec Islands469,2762007
17Ascension Exclusive Economic Zone United KingdomAscension Island440,0002019[22]
18Phoenix Islands408,2502006[23]
19Trindade and Martin Vaz Archipelago Environmental Protection Area BrazilTrindade and Martin Vaz403,8482018[24]
20Pacific Biosphere ReserveEastern Pacific Ocean390,0912016[25]
21Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago Environmental Protection AreaSaint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago384,5652018[26]
22Great Barrier Reef348,7001981[27]
23Offshore Trap/Pot Waters AreaWestern Atlantic Ocean336,1011997[28]
24Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area CanadaEllesmere Island319,4112019[29]
25Nazca-Desventuradas Marine ParkDesventuradas Islands300,0352016[30] [31]
26Cerrado Biosphere Reserve BrazilGoiás, Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins, and Federal District296,5251994[32]
27Atlantic Forest Biosphere ReserveAtlantic Forest (15 states)294,7341993[33] [34]
28Pantanal Biosphere Reserve BrazilGoiás, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul251,5692000[35]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: World Database on Protected Areas . . Protected Planet . 15 October 2017.
  2. Web site: World Database on Protected Areas User Manual 1.5 . 8–9 . UNEP-WCMC . Cambridge, UK . 2017 . 15 October 2017.
  3. Web site: October update of the WDPA . . Protected Planet . 15 October 2017.
  4. Web site: Cook Islands Marine Park. 2020-09-25. Protected Planet.
  5. Web site: Emmanuel Macron annonce l'extension de la réserve naturelle des Terres australes françaises, la deuxième plus grande au monde . fr . French Overseas Ministry . 21 February 2022 .
  6. News: Slezak. Michael. 2016-10-27. World's largest marine park created in Ross Sea in Antarctica in landmark deal. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-09-24. 0261-3077.
  7. Web site: Trade. New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and. Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area. 2020-09-24. New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. en-NZ.
  8. Web site: Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. 2020-09-25. Protected Planet.
  9. Web site: Natural Park of the Coral Sea. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  10. Web site: Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  11. Web site: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  12. Web site: Coral Sea Marine Park Management Plan 2018 . July 15, 2018 . Parks Australia.
  13. Web site: Coral Sea Marine Park Management Plan 2018 . July 15, 2018 . Parks Australia.
  14. Web site: A very large Marine Protected Area is created in the Southern Ocean by France . Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels . 24 April 2017 . 15 October 2017.
  15. Web site: North-East Greenland. 2020-09-25. Protected Planet.
  16. Web site: Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures . National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Regional Office . 15 October 2017.
  17. Web site: Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  18. Web site: British Indian Ocean Territory Marine Protected Area (Chagos). 2020-09-25. Protected Planet.
  19. Web site: Rapa Nui. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  20. Web site: Palau National Marine Sanctuary . Global Island Partnership . 15 October 2017.
  21. Web site: Palau National Marine Sanctuary. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  22. Web site: Ascension Exclusive Economic Zone. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  23. Web site: Phoenix Islands Protected Area. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  24. Web site: Área De Proteção Ambiental Do Arquipélago De Trindade E Martim Vaz. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  25. News: Four protected areas announced in Cancún . Mexico News Daily . 6 December 2016 . 15 October 2017.
  26. Web site: Área De Proteção Ambiental Do Arquipélago De São Pedro E São Paulo. 2020-09-24. Protected Planet.
  27. Web site: Commonwealth Marine Protected Areas by Type (2016) (refer 'Detailed list' tab for 'Great Barrier Reef' breakdown). CAPAD 2016. Australian government. 2 June 2018.
  28. Web site: Offshore Trap/Pot Waters Area . National Marine Fisheries Service, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office . 1 June 2016 . 15 October 2017.
  29. Web site: Government of Canada. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2019-09-18. Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area (MPA). 2020-09-24. www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
  30. . Chilean government officially decrees the creation of the Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park . . . 24 August 2016 . 15 October 2017.
  31. Web site: Nazca-Desventuradas. 2020-09-25. Protected Planet.
  32. Web site: 2019-02-14. Cerrado Biosphere Reserve, Brazil. 2020-09-25. UNESCO. en.
  33. Web site: UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory. 2020-09-25. www.unesco.org.
  34. Web site: Mata Atlântica (including Sao Paulo Green Belt). 2020-09-25. Protected Planet.
  35. Web site: 2019-02-15. Pantanal Biosphere Reserve, Brazil. 2020-09-25. UNESCO. en.

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