As of Jan 31 2009, Approximately 3 million km² of the world's 361 million km² are protected - ONLY 0.8%. By contrast, around 12% of the world's land area is protected. Learn more about the world's 5000 MPAs on our iMPA pages!

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Global marine protection targets aim to protect 10 - 30% of marine habitats within the next 2 – 4 years, but less than 1% of oceans are currently protected. See what your country has committed to protect!

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Only 0.08% of the world’s oceans is "no-take", where all extractive uses (fishing, mining, oil & gas exploration, etc) are prohibited.

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The world's three largest individual marine protected areas are: Phoenix Islands Protected Area (410,500km²), the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (344,400km²); and the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument ( 341,400 km²). Together, these represent almost half of the global marine area protected.

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Globally, most MPAs occur in tropical coastal areas. High latitudes and open ocean areas are much less well protected, especially in the Antarctic.

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Over the past 20 years, the global area within marine protected areas has grown at around 5% per year. This is AT LEAST an order of magnitude slower than is needed for global targets to be met on time.

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If even the most conservative global marine protection target is to be met on time, another 35 countries must create an MPA the size of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (410,500km2) in the next 4 years. This is equivalent to President George Bush designating the combined area of the new Pacific Marine National Monuments 28 times over!

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ALL of the world’s MPAs currently occur within areas under national jurisdiction (typically from the coast out to 200 miles). The ocean area beyond this, the high seas, are essentially unprotected.

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Marine protected areas have been created in almost all coastal countries of the world, to protect a range of marine environments, species, and unique features.

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Oceans are the lifeblood of planet Earth, flowing over nearly three-quarters of our world and linking the islands we call continents.

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The world’s oceans cover approximately 361 million square kilometers – approximately 71% of the earths’ surface.

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The tallest mountain in the world is in fact underwater: the deepest part of the ocean is in the Marianas Trench, recently designated a Marine National Monument, whose base is almost 11 kilometres below the sea surface. By contrast, the highest mountain on land, Mount Everest, peaks at just under 9 kilometres.

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