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West Asia

412 Total Protected Areas
63 With management effectiveness evaluations
Terrestrial and Inland Waters Protected Areas
Marine Protected Areas
Other effective area-based conservation measures
2 Total Other effective area-based conservation measures
12 Number of countries
Polygons/Points ratio
Polygons 92%
Points 8%
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

13.15% Coverage

462,478km2 Land area covered

3,518,069km2 Total land area

Marine protected area Coverage

7.56% Coverage

108,929km2 Marine and coastal area covered

1,440,856km2 Total marine and coastal area

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 25

  1. Protected Areas of Bahrain Updated: 2022 Government - Supreme Council for Environment
  2. Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance Updated: 2023 Ramsar Secretariat, on behalf of Ramsar Contracting Parties
  3. UNESCO World Heritage Sites Updated: 2024 IUCN World Heritage Programme
  4. Protected Areas of Iraq Updated: 2020 Ministry of Environment of Iraq
  5. Protected Areas of Jordan Updated: 2024 The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan
  6. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserves Updated: 2020 UNESCO-MAB and UNEP-WCMC
  7. State of Environment Assessment and follow up section Updated: 2023 Kuwait Environment Public Authority (KEPA)
  8. Protected Areas of Lebanon Updated: 2024 Department of Ecosystems, Ministry of Environment
  9. Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance Updated: 2020 Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA)
  10. Protected areas of Oman Updated: 2024 Environment Authority, Planning & Studies Department, Sultinate of Oman
  11. Al Ansab Wetland Updated: 2021 Oman Water and Wastewater Services Company
  12. Protected Areas of the State of Palestine Updated: 2023 Environmental Resources Directorate-Environment Quality Authority Environment Quality Authority
  13. Protected areas of Qatar Updated: 2020 Ministry of Municipality and Environment of Qatar
  14. Protected Areas of Saudi Arabia Updated: 2025 National Center for Wildlife (NCW), Saudi Arabia
  15. Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve (ITBARNR) Updated: 2023 Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority (ITBARNR)
  16. Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve (IARR) and King Khalid Royal Reserve borders (KKRR) Updated: 2023 Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority
  17. King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve (KSRNR) Updated: 2023 King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Royal Reserve Development Authority (KSRNR)
  18. King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Updated: 2023 King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority
  19. Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas Updated: 2005 Not Reported
  20. Source is currently unknown Updated: - Not Reported
  21. Protected Areas Updated: 1976 Not Reported
  22. Soufriere Marine Management Association Website Updated: 2004 UNEP-WCMC
  23. Protected Areas of United Arab Emirates Updated: 2024 Director, Biodiversity Department, Environment Affair and Nature Conservation Sector, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment
  24. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve Updated: 2020 UNESCO-MAB
  25. Protected areas of Yemen Updated: 2024 Environmental Protection Agency

Designations

  • 88.83%
  • 0.49%
  • 10.68%

National designations

366
  • Hima/BR 2
  • Scientific Research Park 1
  • Forest Reserve 3
  • National Park 8
  • Wildife Park 1
  • Breeding Station 1
  • Biosphere Reserve 1
  • Special Nature Reserve 8
  • Marine National Park 2
  • Biological Reserve 1
  • Protected Area 106
  • Resource Use Reserve 9
  • Marine Reserve 1
  • Game Management Area 2
  • Nature Reserve 108
  • Hima/RUR 2
  • Coral Reef Area 16
  • Natural Reserve 30
  • Reserve 18
  • Proposed Nature Reserve 6
  • Inviolable Sanctuary 2
  • Eco-Park 2
  • Wildlife Reserve 1
  • Wetland Reserve 1
  • Marine Protected Area 4
  • Geo-park 1
  • Royal Reserve 8
  • Fenced Area 3
  • Private Ranch 1
  • Nature Tourism site 1
  • Special Conservation Area 10
  • Protected area 4
  • Not Reported 2

Regional designations

2
  • Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (Barcelona Convention) 2

International designations

44
  • Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance 28
  • UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 12
  • World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) 4

citation

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

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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], April 2025, Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net.