WDPCA: Iceland Protected and Conserved Areas Geospatial Data

This geospatial dataset documents marine and terrestrial protected areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) within Iceland. Managed by the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), the data supports international reporting for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and is updated on a monthly basis.

Use Cases

• Calculating the total percentage of terrestrial and marine territory under protection using area geometry fields
• Environmental impact assessments by overlaying project coordinates with protected area boundaries
• Reporting on Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework for Icelandic territory

Strengths

• Consolidates WDPA and WD-OECM data into a single unified source
• Available in four GIS-ready formats including GEOJSON, GEOPACKAGE, and GEOSERVICE
• Official data source used for UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) tracking

Limitations

• Geographic scope is strictly limited to Iceland
• Specific attribute schema and column definitions are not explicitly detailed in the source description

Provenance

Source

UNEP-WCMC and IUCN

Collection Method

Compiled from government reports and stakeholder collaborations through the Protected Planet Initiative

Freshness

Updated monthly; current version reflects data as of March 2026.

Geography

Iceland