WDPCA: Botswana Protected and Conserved Areas Geospatial Data

UNEP-WCMC maintains this geospatial dataset of marine and terrestrial protected areas and conservation measures in Botswana, updated as of March 2026. It integrates the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and the World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM) to support global biodiversity reporting.

Use Cases

• Spatial analysis of conservation coverage using GEOJSON boundaries to calculate the percentage of Botswana's land under protection
• Environmental risk assessment for commercial projects by intersecting project coordinates with protected area polygons
• Monitoring biodiversity indicators for SDG reporting using the designation status of specific conserved sites

Strengths

• Official UN-backed data from UNEP-WCMC and IUCN
• Available in four formats including GEOJSON and GEOPACKAGE
• Monthly update cycle for tracking policy changes

Limitations

• Geographic scope restricted to Botswana
• Attribute column definitions not explicitly listed in metadata

Provenance

Source

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

Collection Method

Compiled from government and stakeholder reports by UNEP-WCMC

Freshness

Updated on a monthly basis.

Geography

Botswana