The Chart The chart shows cumulative growth in nationally designated protected areas in both total number of sites and total area protected (km2) from 1872 - 2007. Only sites that are designated and have a known year of establishment have been included in this chart. Term Explanation & Source Designated Nationally designated protected areas are those that are recognized, supported, and designated by national legislation and/or authority. Total area protected The size of the protected area is the officially documented extent provided by the national authority unless otherwise stated. Year of establishment Year in which site is nationally designated. Not all protected areas in the WDPA have a known year of establishment, therefore approximately 43,673 sites have been excluded from the growth chart of nationally designated protected areas (1872 - 2007) Source World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), a joint project between UNEP and IUCN, managed and hosted by UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), 31st January 2008. Please contact protectedareas@unep-wcmc.org for more information.