Land use over the long-term in Switzerland
Switzerland: Land use over the long-term was 1.07 million hectares in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
1.07 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
104th
of 202 countries
All-time high
1.55 million hectares
in 1700
All-time low
760,505 hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Land use over the long-term in Switzerland, 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 Switzerland is 1.07 million hectares, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use over the long-term in Switzerland peaked at 1.55 million hectares in 1700 and was at its lowest, 760,505 hectares, in 1000.
That places Switzerland 104th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Land use over the long-term in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 760,505 hectares | — |
| 1100 | 1.29 million hectares | +69.7% |
| 1200 | 1.28 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1300 | 1.51 million hectares | +17.9% |
| 1400 | 1.30 million hectares | -13.5% |
| 1500 | 1.25 million hectares | -3.7% |
| 1600 | 1.28 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1700 | 1.55 million hectares | +21.5% |
| 1710 | 1.47 million hectares | -5.0% |
| 1720 | 1.39 million hectares | -5.7% |
| 1730 | 1.30 million hectares | -6.4% |
| 1740 | 1.20 million hectares | -7.4% |
| 1750 | 1.10 million hectares | -8.5% |
| 1760 | 1.08 million hectares | -1.6% |
| 1770 | 1.06 million hectares | -1.8% |
| 1780 | 1.04 million hectares | -2.1% |
| 1790 | 1.02 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1800 | 992,689 hectares | -2.6% |
| 1810 | 983,367 hectares | -0.9% |
| 1820 | 1.05 million hectares | +7.2% |
| 1830 | 1.10 million hectares | +4.2% |
| 1840 | 1.14 million hectares | +3.4% |
| 1850 | 1.17 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1860 | 1.17 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1870 | 1.19 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1880 | 1.20 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1890 | 1.17 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 1900 | 1.26 million hectares | +6.9% |
| 1910 | 1.34 million hectares | +6.6% |
| 1920 | 1.30 million hectares | -3.0% |
| 1930 | 1.27 million hectares | -2.1% |
| 1940 | 1.23 million hectares | -2.9% |
| 1950 | 1.25 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1951 | 1.26 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 1.26 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 1.27 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 1.27 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 1.28 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1956 | 1.28 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 1.29 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1958 | 1.29 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 1.30 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 1.33 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1961 | 1.33 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1.32 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 1.32 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 1.31 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 1.31 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 1.31 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.31 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.31 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.31 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.30 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 1.29 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 1.28 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 1.27 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 1.26 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 1.26 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 1.25 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 1.25 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 1.25 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 1.26 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 1.25 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.24 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 1.23 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 1.22 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 1.21 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 1.20 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 1.20 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 1.20 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.19 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 1.18 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 1.18 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.17 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 1.17 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 1.16 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 1.14 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 1.14 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 1.13 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 1.14 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 1.14 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 1.14 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.13 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 1.13 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 1.13 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 1.13 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 1.12 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 1.12 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 1.12 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 1.12 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 1.11 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 1.11 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 1.11 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 1.10 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 1.10 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 1.10 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 1.10 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 1.09 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 1.09 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 1.09 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 1.09 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 1.08 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 1.08 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 1.08 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1.07 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 1.07 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 1.07 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 1.07 million hectares | -0.2% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 1.07 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 395,224 hectares, 2.7× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 1.07 million hectares is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.16 million hectares, 92% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Land use over the long-term in Switzerland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +69.7% | 760,505 hectares | 1.29 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 760,505 hectares | 760,505 hectares | 760,505 hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 1.29 million hectares | 1.29 million hectares | 1.29 million hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 1.28 million hectares | 1.28 million hectares | 1.28 million hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 1.51 million hectares | 1.51 million hectares | 1.51 million hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 1.25 million hectares | 1.25 million hectares | 1.25 million hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 1.28 million hectares | 1.28 million hectares | 1.28 million hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.55 million hectares | 1.55 million hectares | 1.55 million hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.47 million hectares | 1.47 million hectares | 1.47 million hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.39 million hectares | 1.39 million hectares | 1.39 million hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.20 million hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 1.10 million hectares | 1.10 million hectares | 1.10 million hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.08 million hectares | 1.08 million hectares | 1.08 million hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 1.06 million hectares | 1.06 million hectares | 1.06 million hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 1.04 million hectares | 1.04 million hectares | 1.04 million hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.02 million hectares | 1.02 million hectares | 1.02 million hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 992,689 hectares | 992,689 hectares | 992,689 hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 983,367 hectares | 983,367 hectares | 983,367 hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.05 million hectares | 1.05 million hectares | 1.05 million hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.10 million hectares | 1.10 million hectares | 1.10 million hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.14 million hectares | 1.14 million hectares | 1.14 million hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.17 million hectares | 1.17 million hectares | 1.17 million hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 1.17 million hectares | 1.17 million hectares | 1.17 million hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.19 million hectares | 1.19 million hectares | 1.19 million hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.20 million hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.17 million hectares | 1.17 million hectares | 1.17 million hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.26 million hectares | 1.26 million hectares | 1.26 million hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 1.34 million hectares | 1.34 million hectares | 1.34 million hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.27 million hectares | 1.27 million hectares | 1.27 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.23 million hectares | 1.23 million hectares | 1.23 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 1.27 million hectares | 1.25 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.32 million hectares | 1.31 million hectares | 1.33 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.27 million hectares | 1.25 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.21 million hectares | 1.18 million hectares | 1.25 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.15 million hectares | 1.13 million hectares | 1.18 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.12 million hectares | 1.11 million hectares | 1.13 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.09 million hectares | 1.08 million hectares | 1.11 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.07 million hectares | 1.07 million hectares | 1.08 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More environment data for Switzerland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2925 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.4333 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.458 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.33 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2741 % 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 0.0914 % 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 Switzerland?
- Land use over the long-term in Switzerland was 1.07 million 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 1.55 million hectares in 1700.
- What is the lowest land use over the long-term recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 760,505 hectares in 1000.
- How does Switzerland rank for land use over the long-term?
- Switzerland ranks 104th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is land use over the long-term rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.