Land use over the long-term in Malaysia
Malaysia: Land use over the long-term was 285,000 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
285,000 hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
136th
of 202 countries
All-time high
285,000 hectares
in 2003
All-time low
10,639 hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Land use over the long-term in Malaysia, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for land use over the long-term in Malaysia is 285,000 hectares, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use over the long-term in Malaysia peaked at 285,000 hectares in 2003 and was at its lowest, 10,639 hectares, in 1000.
Malaysia ranks 136th of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Land use over the long-term in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 10,639 hectares | — |
| 1100 | 12,436 hectares | +16.9% |
| 1200 | 14,161 hectares | +13.9% |
| 1300 | 15,831 hectares | +11.8% |
| 1400 | 17,457 hectares | +10.3% |
| 1500 | 19,045 hectares | +9.1% |
| 1600 | 23,424 hectares | +23.0% |
| 1700 | 27,672 hectares | +18.1% |
| 1710 | 28,192 hectares | +1.9% |
| 1720 | 29,603 hectares | +5.0% |
| 1730 | 29,615 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1740 | 29,984 hectares | +1.2% |
| 1750 | 30,197 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1760 | 30,418 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1770 | 30,663 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1780 | 30,939 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1790 | 31,236 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1800 | 31,547 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1810 | 32,610 hectares | +3.4% |
| 1820 | 33,639 hectares | +3.2% |
| 1830 | 35,730 hectares | +6.2% |
| 1840 | 36,126 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1850 | 36,941 hectares | +2.3% |
| 1860 | 46,935 hectares | +27.1% |
| 1870 | 56,517 hectares | +20.4% |
| 1880 | 65,768 hectares | +16.4% |
| 1890 | 74,751 hectares | +13.7% |
| 1900 | 81,985 hectares | +9.7% |
| 1910 | 94,311 hectares | +15.0% |
| 1920 | 115,573 hectares | +22.5% |
| 1930 | 135,612 hectares | +17.3% |
| 1940 | 180,278 hectares | +32.9% |
| 1950 | 191,605 hectares | +6.3% |
| 1951 | 193,062 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1952 | 194,061 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 195,456 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 197,228 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1955 | 199,327 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1956 | 201,682 hectares | +1.2% |
| 1957 | 204,258 hectares | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 207,028 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1959 | 210,005 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 220,000 hectares | +4.8% |
| 1961 | 220,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 223,000 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 225,000 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 227,000 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 229,000 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 231,000 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 233,000 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 235,000 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 237,000 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 239,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 241,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 243,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 245,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 247,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 249,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 251,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 253,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 255,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 257,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 259,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 261,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 263,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 265,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 265,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 268,000 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 270,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 272,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 272,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 274,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 276,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 278,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 280,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 281,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 281,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 281,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 285,000 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 285,000 hectares | +0.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 285,000 hectares is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.58 million hectares, 18% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 285,000 hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 190,000 hectares, 1.5× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Land use over the long-term in Malaysia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | +32.9% | 135,612 hectares | 180,278 hectares |
| 1860 | +27.1% | 36,941 hectares | 46,935 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 10,639 hectares | 10,639 hectares | 10,639 hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 12,436 hectares | 12,436 hectares | 12,436 hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 14,161 hectares | 14,161 hectares | 14,161 hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 15,831 hectares | 15,831 hectares | 15,831 hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 17,457 hectares | 17,457 hectares | 17,457 hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 19,045 hectares | 19,045 hectares | 19,045 hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 23,424 hectares | 23,424 hectares | 23,424 hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 27,672 hectares | 27,672 hectares | 27,672 hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 28,192 hectares | 28,192 hectares | 28,192 hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 29,603 hectares | 29,603 hectares | 29,603 hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 29,615 hectares | 29,615 hectares | 29,615 hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 29,984 hectares | 29,984 hectares | 29,984 hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 30,197 hectares | 30,197 hectares | 30,197 hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 30,418 hectares | 30,418 hectares | 30,418 hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 30,663 hectares | 30,663 hectares | 30,663 hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 30,939 hectares | 30,939 hectares | 30,939 hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 31,236 hectares | 31,236 hectares | 31,236 hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 31,547 hectares | 31,547 hectares | 31,547 hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 32,610 hectares | 32,610 hectares | 32,610 hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 33,639 hectares | 33,639 hectares | 33,639 hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 35,730 hectares | 35,730 hectares | 35,730 hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 36,126 hectares | 36,126 hectares | 36,126 hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 36,941 hectares | 36,941 hectares | 36,941 hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 46,935 hectares | 46,935 hectares | 46,935 hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 56,517 hectares | 56,517 hectares | 56,517 hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 65,768 hectares | 65,768 hectares | 65,768 hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 74,751 hectares | 74,751 hectares | 74,751 hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 81,985 hectares | 81,985 hectares | 81,985 hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 94,311 hectares | 94,311 hectares | 94,311 hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 115,573 hectares | 115,573 hectares | 115,573 hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 135,612 hectares | 135,612 hectares | 135,612 hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 180,278 hectares | 180,278 hectares | 180,278 hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 199,371 hectares | 191,605 hectares | 210,005 hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 228,000 hectares | 220,000 hectares | 237,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 248,000 hectares | 239,000 hectares | 257,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 266,900 hectares | 259,000 hectares | 274,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 281,700 hectares | 276,000 hectares | 285,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 285,000 hectares | 285,000 hectares | 285,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 285,000 hectares | 285,000 hectares | 285,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 285,000 hectares | 285,000 hectares | 285,000 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More environment data for Malaysia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.65 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.9 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.179 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.25 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 4.33 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.9114 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use over the long-term in Malaysia?
- Land use over the long-term in Malaysia was 285,000 hectares in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use over the long-term recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 285,000 hectares in 2003.
- What is the lowest land use over the long-term recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 10,639 hectares in 1000.
- How does Malaysia rank for land use over the long-term?
- Malaysia ranks 136th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is land use over the long-term rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total grazingland area for each separate country over time.