Protected natural areas
| Number of spaces | Total extension protected (Hectares) | Terrestrial extension | Maritime extension | Protected land area over the total land area (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 184 | 1,112,138 | 1,026,501 | 85,637 | 32.0 |
| 2021 | 184 | 1,112,167 | 1,026,530 | 85,637 | 32.0 |
| 2020 | 184 | 1,110,213 | 1,024,576 | 85,637 | 31.9 |
| 2019 | 184 | 1,110,213 | 1,024,576 | 85,637 | 31.9 |
| 2018 | 184 | 1,109,528 | 1,023,891 | 85,637 | 31.9 |
| 2017 | 184 | 1,105,551 | 1,019,922 | 85,629 | 31.8 |
| 2016 | 184 | 1,105,676 | 1,020,047 | 85,629 | 31.8 |
| 2015 | 184 | 1,105,676 | 1,020,047 | 85,629 | 31.8 |
| 2014 | 184 | 1,105,003 | 1,018,530 | 86,473 | 31.7 |
| 2013 | 164 | 1,065,783 | 987,890 | 77,893 | 30.8 |
| 2012 | 164 | 1,065,783 | 987,890 | 77,893 | 30.8 |
| 2011 | 164 | 1,065,791 | 987,898 | 77,893 | 30.8 |
| 2010 | 164 | 1,065,791 | 987,898 | 77,893 | 30.8 |
| 2009 | 166 | 1,054,927 | 977,108 | 77,819 | 30.4 |
| 2008 | 165 | 1,038,461 | 960,643 | 77,818 | 29.9 |
| 2007 | 165 | 1,037,920 | 960,102 | 77,818 | 29.9 |
| 2006 | 165 | 1,037,920 | 960,102 | 77,818 | 29.9 |
| 2005 | 122 | 590,459 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2004 | 122 | 590,459 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2003 | 122 | 590,459 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2002 | 121 | 560,206 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2001 | 120 | 560,206 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2000 | 119 | 524,048 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 1999 | 78 | 329,708 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 1998 | 78 | 325,313 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 1997 | 54 | 208,741 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 1996 | 30 | 166,242 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 1993 | 12 | 143,543 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| Source: | |||||
| 1993-2019: Ministry of Territory and Sustainability. | |||||
| 2020-2022: Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda. | |||||
| 2020-2022: Ministry of Territory and Sustainability. | |||||
| (..) Confidential data, low reliability or not available. | |||||
| Number of spaces | Total extension protected (Hectares) | Terrestrial extension | Maritime extension | Protected land area over the total land area (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2021 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2020 | 1,824 | 12,712,254 | 7,455,092 | 5,257,161 | 13.0 |
| 2019 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2018 | 1,664 | 11,700,530 | 6,535,014 | 5,165,517 | 13.0 |
| 2017 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2016 | 1,958 | 7,001,121 | 6,498,748 | 502,443 | 12.9 |
| 2015 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2014 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2013 | 1,905 | 7,025,038 | 6,535,193 | 489,845 | 12.9 |
| 2012 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2011 | 1,740 | 6,975,351 | 6,485,506 | 489,845 | 12.8 |
| 2010 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2009 | 1,684 | 6,369,300 | 6,114,405 | 254,895 | 12.1 |
| 2008 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2007 | 1,587 | 6,203,365 | 5,952,226 | 251,139 | 11.8 |
| 2006 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2005 | 1,115 | 5,326,854 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | 10.2 |
| 2004 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2003 | 960 | 4,668,650 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | 9.1 |
| 2002 | 832 | 3,957,973 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | 7.8 |
| 2001 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 2000 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 1999 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | 3,466,936 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 1998 | 547 | 3,157,625 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | 6.2 |
| 1997 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 1996 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| 1993 | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available | .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available |
| Source: Europarc-Spain. | |||||
| Note: Spain data are updated every two years. | |||||
| (..) Confidential data, low reliability or not available. | |||||
Last update: November 9, 2023.
Methodological note
The Protected Natural Areas Plan (PEIN), approved in December 1992 by Decree 328/1992, establishes the guidelines necessary for the basic protection of natural areas, the conservation of which is considered essential in order to ensure the fulfilment of the scientific, environmental, scenic, cultural, social, educational and recreational values these possess. Within these areas, four basic regulations apply:
- Land use regime of land that cannot be developed
- Restrictions on sports vehicle traffic
- Regulation of mining activities in accordance with Law 12/1981
- Submittal of certain works projects to environmental impact studies
As of 2005 the implementation of the PEIN in Catalonia had resulted in 144 natural interest areas, encompassing 648,065 ha. With the approval of the Catalan proposal for the Nature Network 2000 in September 2006, the PNAP has experienced a significant increase in both the total area and the number of natural areas. The reason for such growth was the incorporation of Special Bird Sanctuaries (SBS) into the PEIN.