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Protected areas (Natura 2000)
Official statistics on specially protected nature territories (SPNT) is compiled by the Nature Conservation Agency.
SPNT cover 1 660.17 thousand hectares (excluding overlap), of which 73.1 % are protected terrestrial areas and 26.9 % protected marine areas. In total, SPNT occupy 18.44 % of Latvia’s land area and 15.7% of marine territory. Marine areas include the seven protected areas established in 2010, covering 436 254 hectares.
The North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve is the largest SPNT, taking up 475 514 hectares or 29 % of the total SPNT area. As fewer restrictions apply to it and part of its territory extends into marine waters, its full area and the parts located in marine waters are excluded when calculating the overall share of protected land.
Many SPNT are part of the European network of protected areas, NATURA 2000. In total, 334 SPNT are included: 4 strict nature reserves, 4 national parks, 372 nature reserves, 42 nature parks, 10 protected landscape areas, 7 protected marine areas, 319 nature monuments, and 24 micro-reserves.
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