WDPCA: Iraq Protected and Conserved Areas Geospatial Data

This geospatial dataset documents marine and terrestrial protected areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) within Iraq. Produced by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), the data is updated monthly to support international biodiversity reporting. It serves as the primary source for tracking Iraq's progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Use Cases

• Mapping terrestrial and marine conservation boundaries in Iraq using GeoJSON or GeoPackage files
• Calculating the percentage of Iraqi land under conservation for Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework reporting
• Identifying biodiversity risks for infrastructure projects by intersecting project boundaries with WDPCA polygons

Strengths

• Official data source for UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Includes both WDPA and WD-OECM records
• Available in four GIS-ready formats including GeoJSON and GeoPackage

Limitations

• Relies on government and stakeholder reporting which may result in temporal lag for new designations
• Specific record count for the Iraq territory is not explicitly listed

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

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

Freshness

Updated on a monthly basis; last recorded update 2026-03-03.

Geography

Iraq