Changes since WDPA 2003
The 2004 version of the World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA 2004) is an important update from the 2003 version.
The data files now use a total of 1,086 MBytes of disk space compared to 505 MBytes in WDPA 2003, 17,066 protected areas attributes have been added or updated (in addition to 28,608 that were updated for the WDPA 2003). This means that in the past two years, almost 50% of the records of the database are either new or updated.
The coverage of boundary data for Protected Areas has been an important limiting factor of the WDPA. The establishment of the WDPA Consortium has allowed to significantly improve this situation although the present state is still not satisfactory. Since beginning 2002, a total of 20,452 protected areas boundary definitions (polygons) have been added or updated to the database.
Several countries were fully updated including Sweden, United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and China, while others received corrections and adjustments, including South Africa, Uganda, Guatemala, Indonesia, the Micronesia / Melanesia Region and Israel.
An important effort was made of correct errors that were identified in WDPA 2003.
Checking this database for quality and accuracy and datedness of the data continues to be an important task, and one in which you can participate. Please provide us with your feedback and your expertise on identifying errors, gaps, or alternative sources of information.
The following table shows the point data attribute changes since 2002 and the release of WDPA 2003.
| Country or Area | ISO3 | 2003 Updates | 2004 Updates |
| AFGHANISTAN | AFG | 5 | |
| ALBANIA | ALB | ||
| ALGERIA | DZA | 13 | |
| American Samoa (UNITED STATES) | ASM | 7 | |
| ANDORRA | AND | 2 | |
| ANGOLA | AGO | 2 | |
| Anguilla (UNITED KINGDOM) | AIA | 1 | |
| Antarctica | ATA | 7 | |
| ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA | ATG | 1 | 2 |
| ARGENTINA | ARG | 15 | 4 |
| ARMENIA | ARM | 9 | 1 |
| Aruba (NETHERLANDS) | ABW | 1 | |
| AUSTRALIA | AUS | 128 | 5,230 |
| AUSTRIA | AUT | 1,086 | |
| AZERBAIJAN | AZE | 31 | 1 |
| BAHAMAS | BHS | 5 | |
| BAHRAIN | BHR | 4 | |
| BANGLADESH | BGD | 3 | |
| BARBADOS | BRB | 1 | |
| BELARUS | BLR | 1 | |
| BELGIUM | BEL | 305 | |
| BELIZE | BLZ | 66 | 1 |
| BENIN | BEN | 45 | |
| Bermuda (UNITED KINGDOM) | BMU | 79 | |
| BHUTAN | BTN | 10 | |
| BOLIVIA | BOL | 32 | |
| BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA | BIH | 11 | 1 |
| BOTSWANA | BWA | 53 | 1 |
| Bouvet Island (NORWAY) | BVT | ||
| Brasil | BRA | 124 | 9 |
| British Indian Ocean Territory (UNITED KINGDOM) | IOT | ||
| BRUNEI DARUSSALAM | BRN | 44 | |
| BULGARIA | BGR | 151 | |
| BURKINA FASO | BFA | 71 | |
| BURUNDI | BDI | ||
| CAMBODIA | KHM | 30 | |
| CAMEROON | CMR | 32 | |
| CANADA | CAN | 3,103 | 36 |
| CAPE VERDE | CPV | 1 | |
| Cayman Islands (UNITED KINGDOM) | CYM | 48 | |
| CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC | CAF | 23 | 5 |
| CHAD | TCD | ||
| CHILE | CHL | 3 | 1 |
| CHINA | CHN | 4 | 1,961 |
| Christmas Island (AUSTRALIA) | CXR | 1 | |
| Cocos (Keeling) (AUSTRALIA) | CCK | 1 | |
| COLOMBIA | COL | 50 | |
| COMOROS | COM | 2 | |
| CONGO | COG | 10 | 8 |
| CONGO-DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF | COD | 21 | 8 |
| Cook Islands (NEW ZEALAND) | COK | 1 | 11 |
| COSTA RICA | CRI | 34 | 2 |
| COTE DíIVOIRE | CIV | 4 | |
| CROATIA | HRV | 296 | |
| CUBA | CUB | 231 | 1 |
| CYPRUS | CYP | ||
| CZECH REPUBLIC | CZE | 5 | |
| DENMARK | DNK | 97 | |
| DJIBOUTI | DJI | 1 | |
| DOMINICA | DMA | 9 | |
| DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | DOM | 33 | |
| East Timor | TLS | 5 | |
| ECUADOR | ECU | 84 | 2 |
| EGYPT | EGY | 34 | 6 |
| EL SALVADOR | SLV | ||
| EQUATORIAL GUINEA | GNQ | 13 | |
| ERITREA | ERI | ||
| ESTONIA | EST | 2,254 | 2 |
| ETHIOPIA | ETH | 38 | |
| Falkland Islands (UNITED KINGDOM) | FLK | ||
| Faroe Islands (DENMARK) | FRO | ||
| FIJI | FJI | 37 | |
| FINLAND | FIN | 3,464 | |
| FRANCE | FRA | 1,129 | |
| French Guiana (FRANCE) | GUF | 14 | |
| French Polynesia (FRANCE) | PYF | 1 | 6 |
| French Southern Territories (FRANCE) | ATF | ||
| GABON | GAB | 23 | |
| GAMBIA | GMB | ||
| GEORGIA | GEO | 29 | 1 |
| GERMANY | DEU | 20 | 1 |
| GHANA | GHA | 270 | 1 |
| Gibraltar (UNITED KINGDOM) | GIB | ||
| GREECE | GRC | 111 | |
| Greenland (DENMARK) | GRL | ||
| GRENADA | GRD | 1 | |
| Guadeloupe (FRANCE) | GLP | 6 | |
| Guam (UNITED STATES) | GUM | 12 | |
| GUATEMALA | GTM | 27 | 74 |
| GUINEA | GIN | 94 | |
| GUINEA-BISSAU | GNB | 2 | |
| GUYANA | GUY | 3 | |
| HAITI | HTI | 5 | |
| Heard and McDonald Islands (AUSTRALIA) | HMD | 1 | |
| HONDURAS | HND | 11 | |
| Hong Kong (SAR, China) | HKG | 90 | |
| HUNGARY | HUN | 62 | |
| ICELAND | ISL | ||
| INDIA | IND | 521 | 4 |
| INDONESIA | IDN | 94 | 5 |
| IRAN-ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF | IRN | 130 | |
| IRAQ | IRQ | ||
| IRELAND | IRL | 1 | 77 |
| ISRAEL | ISR | 1 | 37 |
| ITALY | ITA | 84 | 3 |
| JAMAICA | JAM | 6 | |
| JAPAN | JPN | 264 | 6 |
| JORDAN | JOR | 12 | 1 |
| KAZAKHSTAN | KAZ | 8 | |
| KENYA | KEN | 207 | 2 |
| KIRIBATI | KIR | 1 | 14 |
| KOREA-DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF | PRK | ||
| KOREA-REPUBLIC OF | KOR | 12 | |
| KUWAIT | KWT | 1 | |
| KYRGYZSTAN | KGZ | 28 | |
| LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC | LAO | 20 | 4 |
| LATVIA | LVA | 539 | 1 |
| LEBANON | LBN | 4 | |
| LESOTHO | LSO | 2 | |
| LIBERIA | LBR | 19 | |
| LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA | LBY | 3 | |
| LIECHTENSTEIN | LIE | 9 | 1 |
| LITHUANIA | LTU | ||
| LUXEMBOURG | LUX | 161 | |
| Macau (SAR China) | MAC | ||
| MACEDONIA - THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF | MKD | 25 | |
| MADAGASCAR | MDG | 53 | |
| MALAWI | MWI | 75 | 1 |
| MALAYSIA | MYS | 301 | |
| MALDIVES | MDV | 25 | |
| MALI | MLI | 3 | 2 |
| MALTA | MLT | 114 | |
| MARSHALL ISLANDS | MHL | 2 | |
| Martinique (FRANCE) | MTQ | 16 | 2 |
| MAURITANIA | MRT | ||
| MAURITIUS | MUS | 1 | |
| Mayotte (FRANCE) | MYT | ||
| MEXICO | MEX | 186 | |
| MICRONESIA | FSM | 18 | |
| MOLDOVA-REPUBLIC OF | MDA | ||
| MONACO | MCO | 2 | |
| MONGOLIA | MNG | 51 | |
| Montserrat (UNITED KINGDOM) | MSR | ||
| MOROCCO | MAR | 20 | 1 |
| MOZAMBIQUE | MOZ | 27 | 1 |
| MYANMAR | MMR | 42 | |
| NAMIBIA | NAM | 43 | |
| NAURU | NRU | ||
| NEPAL | NPL | 22 | |
| NETHERLANDS | NLD | 10 | |
| Netherlands Antilles (NETHERLANDS) | ANT | 4 | |
| New Caledonia (FRANCE) | NCL | 12 | |
| NEW ZEALAND | NZL | 3,928 | 5 |
| NICARAGUA | NIC | 3 | |
| NIGER | NER | 2 | |
| NIGERIA | NGA | 20 | |
| Niue (NEW ZEALAND) | NIU | 3 | |
| Norfolk Island (AUSTRALIA). | NFK | 1 | |
| NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS | MNP | 6 | |
| NORWAY | NOR | 2 | 1 |
| OMAN | OMN | 5 | 1 |
| PAKISTAN | PAK | 71 | |
| PALAU | PLW | 14 | |
| PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, OCCUPIED | PSE | ||
| PANAMA | PAN | 48 | 1 |
| PAPUA NEW GUINEA | PNG | 28 | 1 |
| PARAGUAY | PRY | 6 | |
| PERU | PER | 65 | |
| PHILIPPINES | PHL | 204 | |
| Pitcairn (UNITED KINGDOM) | PCN | ||
| POLAND | POL | 103 | 1 |
| PORTUGAL | PRT | 2 | |
| Puerto Rico (UNITED STATES) | PRI | 32 | 5 |
| QATAR | QAT | 1 | |
| Réunion (FRANCE) | REU | 23 | |
| ROMANIA | ROM | 17 | |
| RUSSIAN FEDERATION | RUS | 123 | 3 |
| RWANDA | RWA | 7 | |
| SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS | KNA | ||
| SAINT LUCIA | LCA | 5 | |
| SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES | VCT | 5 | |
| SAMOA | WSM | 15 | |
| SAN MARINO | SMR | ||
| SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE | STP | ||
| SAUDI ARABIA | SAU | 9 | 1 |
| SENEGAL | SEN | ||
| SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO (old name/code: YUGOSLAVIA/YUG) | SCG | ||
| SEYCHELLES | SYC | 20 | |
| SIERRA LEONE | SLE | 24 | |
| SINGAPORE | SGP | 7 | |
| SLOVAKIA | SVK | 27 | |
| SLOVENIA | SVN | ||
| SOLOMON ISLANDS | SLB | 1 | 1 |
| SOMALIA | SOM | 2 | 1 |
| SOUTH AFRICA | ZAF | 226 | 5 |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UNITED KINGDOM) | SGS | ||
| SPAIN | ESP | 342 | 1 |
| SRI LANKA | LKA | 6 | 1 |
| St. Helena (UNITED KINGDOM) | SHN | 21 | |
| St. Pierre and Miquelon (FRANCE) | SPM | 6 | |
| SUDAN | SDN | 3 | 1 |
| SURINAME | SUR | 19 | |
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (NORWAY) | SJM | ||
| SWAZILAND | SWZ | 3 | |
| SWEDEN | SWE | 4,585 | |
| SWITZERLAND | CHE | 983 | |
| SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC | SYR | 10 | |
| Taiwan, Province of China | TWN | 38 | |
| TAJIKISTAN | TJK | 12 | |
| TANZANIA-UNITED REPUBLIC OF | TZA | 357 | 10 |
| THAILAND | THA | 86 | |
| TOGO | TGO | 65 | |
| Tokelau (NEW ZEALAND) | TKL | 3 | |
| TONGA | TON | 15 | |
| TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO | TTO | 4 | |
| TUNISIA | TUN | 37 | |
| TURKEY | TUR | 54 | 1 |
| TURKMENISTAN | TKM | 16 | 12 |
| Turks and Caicos Islands (UNITED KINGDOM) | TCA | 1 | |
| TUVALU | TUV | 1 | |
| UGANDA | UGA | 72 | 373 |
| UKRAINE | UKR | 16 | |
| UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | ARE | 8 | |
| UNITED KINGDOM | GBR | 4,104 | 3,234 |
| UNITED STATES | USA | 176 | 32 |
| United States Minor Outlying Islands (UNITED STATES) | UMI | 4 | |
| URUGUAY | URY | 20 | |
| UZBEKISTAN | UZB | 11 | |
| VANUATU | VUT | 24 | |
| VATICAN CITY STATE | VAT | ||
| VENEZUELA | VEN | 39 | |
| VIET NAM | VNM | 175 | 9 |
| Virgin Islands (British) (UNITED KINGDOM) | VGB | 6 | |
| Virgin Islands (U.S.) (UNITED STATES). | VIR | 12 | 2 |
| Wallis and Futuna Islands (FRANCE). | WLF | 1 | |
| Western Sahara | ESH | 1 | |
| YEMEN-REPUBLIC OF | YEM | ||
| ZAMBIA | ZMB | 499 | 1 |
| ZIMBABWE | ZWE | 171 | |
| TOTALS | 28,608 | 17,066 | |