World Database on Protected Areas - WDPA

The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the largest assembly of data on the world's terrestrial and marine protected areas, containing more than 260,000 protected areas as of August 2020, with records covering 245 countries and territories throughout the world.

The WDPA is a joint venture between the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).

Data for the WDPA is collected from international convention secretariats, governments and collaborating NGOs, but the role of custodian is allocated to the Protected Areas Programme of UNEP-WCMC, based in Cambridge, UK, who have hosted the database since its creation in 1981. The WDPA is updated on a monthly basis, and can be downloaded from https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/thematic-areas/wdpa.

Data creation: 2020-08-01

Citation:

IUCN and UNEP-WCMC (2020), The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) [https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/search-areas?filters%5Bdb_type%5D%5B%5D=wdpa&geo_type=region], [08/2020], Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net.

Contact points:

Metadata Contact: UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

Responsible Party: UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

Resource Contact: Protected Planet (WDPA) UNEP-WCMC & IUCN

Resource constraints:

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ANY OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS DO NOT DOWNLOAD. BY DOWNLOADING THE WDPA MATERIALS MADE AVAILABLE ON PROTECTEDPLANET.NET YOU ACCEPT AND AGREE TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS BELOW.

  • No Commercial Use

  • Neither (a) the WDPA Materials nor (b) any work derived from or based upon the WDPA Materials (“Derivative Works") may be put to Commercial Use without the prior written permission of UNEP-WCMC. For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, “Commercial Use" means a) any use for profit or to generate revenue, or b) any use by an individual or entity operating within or on behalf of or to the benefit of or to assist the activities of any entity other than a not-for-profit organisation. To apply for permission for Commercial Use of the WDPA Materials please send an email to business-support@unep-wcmc.org outlining your needs.

  • No Sub-licensing or Redistribution of WDPA Data

  • The WDPA Materials may not be sub-licensed in whole or in part including within Derivative Works without the prior written permission of UNEP-WCMC. You may not redistribute the WDPA Data contained in the WDPA in whole or in part by any means including (but not limited to) electronic formats such as web downloads, through web services, through interactive web maps (including mobile applications) that grant users download access, KML Files or through file transfer protocols. If you know of others who wish to use the WDPA Data please refer them to protectedplanet.net. If you wish to provide a service through which the WDPA Data are downloadable or otherwise made available for redistribution you must contact protectedareas@unep-wcmc.org for permission and further guidance. More information on the WDPA license at https://www.unep-wcmc.org/policies/wdpa-data-licence#data_policy

Map Disclaimer:

The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Final status of the Abyei area is not yet determined.

Online resources:

Dimension Translator Json file

Dimensions labels jsonstat file

quoted_csv.xls

Download World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) from Protected Planet

Data and Resources

Graphic overview

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The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the largest assembly of data on the world's terrestrial and marine protected areas, containing more than 260,000 protected areas as of August 2020, with records covering 245 countries and territories throughout the world. The WDPA is a joint venture between the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). Data for the WDPA is collected from international convention secretariats, governments and collaborating NGOs, but the role of custodian is allocated to the Protected Areas Programme of UNEP-WCMC, based in Cambridge, UK, who have hosted the database since its creation in 1981. The WDPA is updated on a monthly basis, and can be downloaded from https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/thematic-areas/wdpa.
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IUCN and UNEP-WCMC (2020), The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) [https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/search-areas?filters%5Bdb_type%5D%5B%5D=wdpa&geo_type=region], [08/2020], Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net.
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World Database on Protected Areas - WDPA
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    • Marine protected areas
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As the only comprehensive global inventory of the world's protected areas, the WDPA is the key resource for managing and researching protected areas and for measuring the extent and effectiveness of the world's living resources as an indicator for meeting global biodiversity targets.
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  • PLEASE READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ANY OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS DO NOT DOWNLOAD. BY DOWNLOADING THE WDPA MATERIALS MADE AVAILABLE ON PROTECTEDPLANET.NET YOU ACCEPT AND AGREE TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS BELOW. * No Commercial Use * Neither (a) the WDPA Materials nor (b) any work derived from or based upon the WDPA Materials (“Derivative Works") may be put to Commercial Use without the prior written permission of UNEP-WCMC. For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, “Commercial Use" means a) any use for profit or to generate revenue, or b) any use by an individual or entity operating within or on behalf of or to the benefit of or to assist the activities of any entity other than a not-for-profit organisation. To apply for permission for Commercial Use of the WDPA Materials please send an email to business-support@unep-wcmc.org outlining your needs. * No Sub-licensing or Redistribution of WDPA Data * The WDPA Materials may not be sub-licensed in whole or in part including within Derivative Works without the prior written permission of UNEP-WCMC. You may not redistribute the WDPA Data contained in the WDPA in whole or in part by any means including (but not limited to) electronic formats such as web downloads, through web services, through interactive web maps (including mobile applications) that grant users download access, KML Files or through file transfer protocols. If you know of others who wish to use the WDPA Data please refer them to protectedplanet.net. If you wish to provide a service through which the WDPA Data are downloadable or otherwise made available for redistribution you must contact protectedareas@unep-wcmc.org for permission and further guidance. More information on the WDPA license at https://www.unep-wcmc.org/policies/wdpa-data-licence#data_policy
  • **Map Disclaimer:** The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Final status of the Abyei area is not yet determined.
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Additional Info

Field Value
Source Source URL
Last Updated September 20, 2023, 15:39 (UTC)
Created December 28, 2021, 16:06 (UTC)