Uganda Protected and Conserved Areas: Official UNEP-WCMC Geospatial Data

Uganda-specific geospatial records of terrestrial and marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs). Managed by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and IUCN, this data is updated on a monthly basis. It serves as the primary source for tracking Uganda's progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3.

Use Cases

• Spatial overlap analysis using GEOJSON boundaries to identify biodiversity risks in infrastructure project planning
• Calculating terrestrial conservation percentages for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator tracking
• Integration into monitoring systems like Global Forest Watch to track land-use changes within protected polygons

Strengths

• Monthly update frequency ensures current status of conservation zones
• Official UN and IUCN institutional backing providing high data authority
• Available in four GIS-ready formats including GEOPACKAGE and GEOJSON

Limitations

• Data accuracy is dependent on the reporting speed and precision of Ugandan government agencies
• Specific attribute schema and column definitions are not provided in the source metadata

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Compiled from government reports and stakeholder data in collaboration with IUCN

Freshness

Updated on a monthly basis; last system update recorded March 2026.

Geography

Uganda