WDPCA: Protected and Conserved Areas in Saudi Arabia

This geospatial dataset provides boundaries and metadata for marine and terrestrial protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) in Saudi Arabia. Managed by the UNEP-WCMC in collaboration with the IUCN, the data is updated monthly to track progress toward global biodiversity targets. It serves as the primary source for reporting on Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Use Cases

• Spatial analysis of terrestrial and marine conservation boundaries in Saudi Arabia to measure progress toward the 30x30 biodiversity target
• Integration into environmental risk assessment tools to identify project overlaps with protected zones
• Reporting for Sustainable Development Goal indicators related to biodiversity and ecosystem services

Strengths

• Official UN-backed data source from UNEP-WCMC and IUCN
• Includes both WDPA and WD-OECM records in a single unified database
• Available in multiple geospatial formats including GeoJSON, GeoPackage, and GeoService

Limitations

• Specific column names and record counts are not provided in the source metadata
• Relies on government and stakeholder reporting which may result in varying lag times for site updates

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Compiled from government submissions and stakeholder collaborations as part of the Protected Planet Initiative

Freshness

Updated on a monthly basis; last recorded update 2026-03-13.

Geography

Saudi Arabia