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Non Commercial Use Download data from Protected Planet.

China chooses to restrict some data on its protected areas. As a result, data on 2,960 protected areas is not publicly-available and cannot be viewed or downloaded on this page. While these sites are included in the coverage statistics presented here, all other statistics (e.g. number of protected areas; breakdown by governance type etc.) on this page are based upon the publicly-available data only.

China

122
Total Protected Areas
19 With management effectiveness evaluations
Terrestrial and Inland Waters Protected Areas
Marine Protected Areas
Other effective area-based conservation measures
0
Total Other effective area-based conservation measures
Polygons/Points ratio
Polygons 64%
Points 36%
Discover Protected Areas and OECMs
Terrestrial and Inland Waters Protected Areas
Marine Protected Areas
Other effective area-based conservation measures
ON
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.

• Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
• Final boundary between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been determined.
• Final status of the Abyei area is not yet determined.
• A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

Terrestrial and inland waters protected area coverage

15.6% Coverage

1,460,461km2 Land area covered

9,362,576km2 Total land area

14.86% 6th National Report coverage

PAME

2.14% With management effectiveness evaluations

200,069km2 Areas assessed

Marine protected area Coverage

4.83% Coverage

46,285km2 Marine and coastal area covered

957,646km2 Total marine and coastal area

PAME

0.07% With management effectiveness evaluations

643km2 Areas assessed

Disclaimer: These statistics might differ from those reported officially by countries due to difference in methodologies and datasets used to assess protected area coverage and differences in the base maps used to measure terrestrial and marine area of a country or territory.

IUCN Management Categories

SeriesChart100%Chart created using amCharts library

Governance types

SeriesChart100%Chart created using amCharts library

Sources 11

  1. Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance Updated: 2023 Ramsar Secretariat, on behalf of Ramsar Contracting Parties
  2. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserves Updated: 2020 UNESCO-MAB and UNEP-WCMC
  3. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve Updated: 2004 Bureau of the International Co-ordinating Council of the MAB Programme (MAB-ICC) (18th Sesssion), UNESCO HQ Paris
  4. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve Updated: 2020 UNESCO-MAB
  5. Protected areas of China Updated: 1990 International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Construction, China
  6. Nature Reserves of China Updated: 2003 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  7. Source is currently unknown Updated: - Not Reported
  8. UNESCO World Heritage Sites Updated: 2024 IUCN World Heritage Programme
  9. Protected Areas of Yunnan Province, China Updated: 2010 Ecology Conservation & Environment Center (ECEC) Kunming Institute of Zoology, China
  10. World Heritage Convention, Natural Heritage China Updated: 2004 Ministry of Construction, China
  11. Huang Shan Updated: 1988 Not Reported

Designations

  • 15.57%
  • 84.43%

National designations

19
  • Protected Area 1
  • Scenic Area 18

Regional designations

0

    International designations

    103
    • Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance 56
    • UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 29
    • World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) 18

    Other designations

    0

      Related countries & territories

      • Hong Kong, SAR China HKG View
      • Macau, SAR China MAC View
      • Taiwan, Province of China TWN View

      citation

      UNEP-WCMC (2025). Protected Area Profile for China from the World Database on Protected Areas, March 2025. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net

      Downloads
      Citation

      UNEP-WCMC and IUCN (2025), Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM) [Online], March 2025, Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net.