WDPCA: Protected and Conserved Areas in Malawi with GIS Boundaries

Geospatial boundaries for marine and terrestrial protected areas in Malawi are provided alongside Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). Managed by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), the data is updated monthly to track progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Use Cases

• Spatial analysis of conservation coverage using GeoJSON boundaries
• Environmental risk assessment for infrastructure projects using the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT)
• Reporting on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators related to terrestrial and marine protection

Strengths

• Official UN-backed data source from UNEP-WCMC
• Updated on a monthly basis
• Combines WDPA and WD-OECM data into a single resource

Limitations

• Specific attribute columns and row counts are not detailed in the source metadata
• Data accuracy depends on the reporting frequency and precision of national government submissions

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Compiled from government reports and stakeholder submissions

Freshness

Updated monthly; last recorded update March 2026

Geography

Malawi