Canada

11885
Total Protected Areas
62 With management effectiveness evaluations
Terrestrial and Inland Waters Protected Areas
Marine Protected Areas
Other effective area-based conservation measures
313
Total Other effective area-based conservation measures
Polygons/Points ratio
Polygons 100%
Points 0%
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).
  • Protected Areas
  • Protected Areas & OECMs

Terrestrial and inland waters protected area coverage

12.92% Coverage

1,287,365km2 Land area covered

9,966,721km2 Total land area

10.50% 6th National Report coverage

PAME

3.11% With management effectiveness evaluations

310,439km2 Areas assessed

Marine protected area Coverage

9.18% Coverage

526,161km2 Marine and coastal area covered

5,733,482km2 Total marine and coastal area

7.70% 6th National Report coverage

PAME

0.15% With management effectiveness evaluations

8,452km2 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 7

  1. Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database Updated: 2024 Environment and Climate Change Canada
  2. UNESCO World Heritage Sites Updated: 2024 IUCN World Heritage Programme
  3. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve Updated: 2020 UNESCO-MAB
  4. Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance Updated: 2023 Ramsar Secretariat, on behalf of Ramsar Contracting Parties
  5. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserves Updated: 2003 UNESCO-MAB
  6. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve Updated: 2004 Bureau of the International Co-ordinating Council of the MAB Programme (MAB-ICC) (18th Sesssion), UNESCO HQ Paris
  7. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserves Updated: 2020 UNESCO-MAB and UNEP-WCMC

Designations

  • 99.45%
  • 0.55%

National designations

11820
  • A - Park 631
  • Biodiversity reserve 15
  • Biological refuge 2821
  • B - Park 1
  • Canadian Landmark 1
  • City Park; Ecologically Signficant Natural Land 3
  • Cliff inhabited by a colony of birds 6
  • Conservancy 159
  • Conservation Area 168
  • Conservation Easement 2
  • Conservation Easement, Ownership by Environmental Non-Governmental Organization 1
  • Conservation Park 1
  • Conservation Reserve 296
  • C - Park 13
  • Crown Conservation Easement 8
  • Crown Plan Protected Area 3
  • Ecological Reserve 286
  • Ecological Reserve / Provincial Park 1
  • Ecological Reserve / Traditional Use Planning Area 1
  • Environmental Conservation Land Use Designation 1
  • Environmental Conservation Land Use Designation Barren Lands 1
  • Federal Real Property 23
  • Fee-Simple Ownership 705
  • Fee Simple Property 101
  • First Nation Settlement Land 2
  • Fish and Wildlife Development Fund Land 8
  • Forest refuge 18
  • Game Preserve 22
  • Habitat of a threatened or vulnerable plant species 29
  • Habitat of a threatened or vulnerable wildlife species 30
  • Habitat Protection Area 10
  • Heritage Rangeland 3
  • Heronry 73
  • Historic Park 9
  • Indigenous and Territorial Protected Area 2
  • Island or peninsula inhabited by a colony of birds 106
  • Land reserved for protected area 86
  • Land set aside 23
  • Land Use Exclusion Zone in Indigenous land use plan 1
  • Marine National Wildlife Area 1
  • Marine Park 2
  • Marine Protected Area 14
  • Marine Protected Area By Ministerial Order 1
  • Marine reserve 1
  • Migratory Bird Sanctuary 80
  • Municipal Heritage/Natural Area 60
  • Municipal Stewardship Area 4
  • Muskrat habitat 129
  • National Historic Site 2
  • National Marine Conservation Area 3
  • National Marine Park 1
  • National Park 47
  • National Urban Park 1
  • National Wildlife Area 56
  • Natural Area 96
  • Natural Area Under Private Stewardship 290
  • Natural Environment Park 12
  • Nature Legacy protected area 552
  • Nature Preserve 57
  • Nature Reserve 103
  • Nature Reserve, Conservation Easement 2
  • Nature Reserve, Ownership by Environmental Non-Governmental Organization 5
  • Nature Reserve, Wilderness Area 2
  • NGO/Land Trust/Agency - Conservation Easement 3
  • NGO/Land Trust/Agency - Fee Simple Property 659
  • Old-growth forest 152
  • Old Growth Forest 1
  • Ownership by Environmental Non-Governmental Organization 175
  • Park Reserve 1
  • Private Conservation Lands 1
  • Private Land 202
  • Privately Owned Conservation Area 600
  • Privately Owned Natural Area 20
  • Privately Owned Natural Area (AFCC) 1
  • Privately Owned Natural Area (DUC) 2
  • Privately Owned Natural Area (INT) 92
  • Privately Owned Natural Area (INT & OTHERS) 1
  • Privately Owned Natural Area (NCC) 6
  • Privately Owned Natural Area (PEIWF) 5
  • Privately Owned Wildlife Management Area (INT) 1
  • Privately Protected Area 7
  • Proposed aquatic reserve 12
  • Proposed biodiversity reserve 73
  • Proposed ecological reserve 3
  • Proposed man-made landscape 1
  • Protected Area 110
  • Protected Area - Far North 3
  • Protected Natural Area 207
  • Protected Through Indigenous Land Claim Agreement 1
  • Protected Through Indigenous Land Claim Agreement - Heritage Resource 1
  • Provincial Forest 2
  • Provincially Owned Natural Area 89
  • Provincially Significant Peatland 2
  • Provincial Park 492
  • Provincial Pasture 112
  • Provincial Plan Protected Area 3
  • Provincial Recreation Area 9
  • Provincial Wildlife Management Area 20
  • Quebec's national park 27
  • Quebec's national park reserve 6
  • Rare forest ecosystem 72
  • Recognized nature reserve 256
  • Recreation Area 2
  • Recreation Park 11
  • Regional Park 47
  • Representative Area Ecological Reserve 40
  • Salt lick 5
  • Special Management Area 3
  • Special Protection Natural Environment Park 1
  • Territorial Park 14
  • Territorial Park - Historic Park 2
  • To Be Determined 6
  • Traditional Conservation Area 1
  • Traditional Use Planning Area 4
  • Urban Park Authority 7
  • Valued Ecosystem 3
  • Valued Natural Habitat 17
  • Water fowl gathering area 694
  • White-tailed deer yard 52
  • Wilderness Area 103
  • Wilderness Area, Conservation Easement 4
  • Wilderness Area, Ownership by Environmental Non-Governmental Organization 2
  • Wilderness Park 5
  • Wilderness Reserve 2
  • Wildland Provincial Park 42
  • Wildlife Management Area 88
  • Wildlife Park 1
  • Wildlife preserve 8
  • Wildlife Refuge 30
  • Wildlife Reserve 1
  • Wildlife Sanctuary 4

Regional designations

0

    International designations

    65
    • Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance 37
    • UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 16
    • World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) 12

    Other designations

    0

      citation

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