Countries in South America by protected land
The share of the land in national parks, nature reserves and other protected areas. 12 countries in South America, highest first. World Bank, 2025
Median country
19.4%
half above, half below| # | Country | % of land | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Venezuela | 56.8% | South America |
| 2 |  Bolivia | 30.9% | South America |
| 3 |  Brazil | 30.6% | South America |
| 4 |  Ecuador | 23.8% | South America |
| 5 |  Peru | 22.1% | South America |
| 6 |  Chile | 21.6% | South America |
| 7 |  Colombia | 17.2% | South America |
| 8 |  Paraguay | 14.9% | South America |
| 9 |  Suriname | 14.8% | South America |
| 10 |  Argentina | 8.8% | South America |
| 11 |  Guyana | 8.4% | South America |
| 12 |  Uruguay | 3.1% | South America |
Questions
- Which country in South America has the most protected land?
- Venezuela has the most protected land in South America: 56.8% of the land protected (2025). Next come Bolivia (30.9% of the land protected) and Brazil (30.6% of the land protected).
- Which country in South America has the least protected land?
- Uruguay, with 3.1% of the land protected (2025).
- What is the typical protected land of a country in South America?
- The median of the 12 countries in South America is 19.4% of the land protected: half are above it, half below. The median, not the average, because a few countries at the top would drag an average far above almost everyone.
- Where do the figures come from?
- The share of the land in national parks, nature reserves and other protected areas. Source: World Bank, 2025. Only independent states are ranked; territories are listed separately. A country’s continent follows Natural Earth; the handful of island states it files under the open ocean are placed by their UN subregion.
Source: World Bank (CC BY 4.0). Figures more than 5 years older than the newest are left out rather than shown beside current ones. Countries sharing a value share a rank. All sources.