Land use over the long-term in Zambia
Zambia: Land use over the long-term was 20.00 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
20.00 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
35th
of 202 countries
All-time high
20.00 million hectares
in 2002
All-time low
1.49 million hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Land use over the long-term in Zambia, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2025, land use over the long-term in Zambia stood at 20.00 million hectares. 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 Zambia peaked at 20.00 million hectares in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1.49 million hectares, in 1000.
That places Zambia 35th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Land use over the long-term in Zambia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 1.49 million hectares | — |
| 1100 | 1.79 million hectares | +20.0% |
| 1200 | 2.09 million hectares | +16.7% |
| 1300 | 2.39 million hectares | +14.3% |
| 1400 | 2.69 million hectares | +12.5% |
| 1500 | 2.99 million hectares | +11.1% |
| 1600 | 3.24 million hectares | +8.5% |
| 1700 | 5.91 million hectares | +82.5% |
| 1710 | 6.52 million hectares | +10.3% |
| 1720 | 7.13 million hectares | +9.3% |
| 1730 | 7.74 million hectares | +8.5% |
| 1740 | 8.35 million hectares | +7.9% |
| 1750 | 8.95 million hectares | +7.3% |
| 1760 | 9.37 million hectares | +4.7% |
| 1770 | 9.77 million hectares | +4.3% |
| 1780 | 10.16 million hectares | +3.9% |
| 1790 | 10.52 million hectares | +3.6% |
| 1800 | 10.86 million hectares | +3.3% |
| 1810 | 11.19 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1820 | 11.50 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1830 | 11.79 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 1840 | 12.07 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1850 | 12.33 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1860 | 12.21 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1870 | 12.06 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1880 | 11.95 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1890 | 12.09 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1900 | 11.73 million hectares | -2.9% |
| 1910 | 10.83 million hectares | -7.7% |
| 1920 | 10.20 million hectares | -5.8% |
| 1930 | 11.61 million hectares | +13.8% |
| 1940 | 13.08 million hectares | +12.7% |
| 1950 | 15.32 million hectares | +17.2% |
| 1951 | 15.39 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 15.48 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 15.58 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 15.70 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 15.82 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1956 | 15.96 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1957 | 16.09 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1958 | 16.24 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1959 | 16.40 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1960 | 16.57 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1961 | 16.75 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1962 | 16.80 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 16.82 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 16.85 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 16.90 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 16.94 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 16.98 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 17.02 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 17.06 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 17.10 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 17.15 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 17.18 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 17.22 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 17.25 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 17.30 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 17.35 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 17.38 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 17.42 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 17.46 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 17.50 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 17.55 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 17.58 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 17.62 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 17.65 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 17.70 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 17.74 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 17.78 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 17.82 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 17.85 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 17.90 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 18.05 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 18.27 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 18.40 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 18.60 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 18.79 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 18.96 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 19.14 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 19.30 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 19.48 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 19.65 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 19.80 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 20.00 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 20.00 million hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.30 million hectares, 6.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 20.00 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.45 million hectares, 3.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Land use over the long-term in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1700 | +82.5% | 3.24 million hectares | 5.91 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 1.49 million hectares | 1.49 million hectares | 1.49 million hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 1.79 million hectares | 1.79 million hectares | 1.79 million hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 2.09 million hectares | 2.09 million hectares | 2.09 million hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 2.39 million hectares | 2.39 million hectares | 2.39 million hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 2.69 million hectares | 2.69 million hectares | 2.69 million hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 2.99 million hectares | 2.99 million hectares | 2.99 million hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 3.24 million hectares | 3.24 million hectares | 3.24 million hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 5.91 million hectares | 5.91 million hectares | 5.91 million hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 6.52 million hectares | 6.52 million hectares | 6.52 million hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 7.13 million hectares | 7.13 million hectares | 7.13 million hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 7.74 million hectares | 7.74 million hectares | 7.74 million hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 8.35 million hectares | 8.35 million hectares | 8.35 million hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 8.95 million hectares | 8.95 million hectares | 8.95 million hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 9.37 million hectares | 9.37 million hectares | 9.37 million hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 9.77 million hectares | 9.77 million hectares | 9.77 million hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 10.16 million hectares | 10.16 million hectares | 10.16 million hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 10.52 million hectares | 10.52 million hectares | 10.52 million hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 10.86 million hectares | 10.86 million hectares | 10.86 million hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 11.19 million hectares | 11.19 million hectares | 11.19 million hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 11.50 million hectares | 11.50 million hectares | 11.50 million hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 11.79 million hectares | 11.79 million hectares | 11.79 million hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 12.07 million hectares | 12.07 million hectares | 12.07 million hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 12.33 million hectares | 12.33 million hectares | 12.33 million hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 12.21 million hectares | 12.21 million hectares | 12.21 million hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 12.06 million hectares | 12.06 million hectares | 12.06 million hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 11.95 million hectares | 11.95 million hectares | 11.95 million hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 12.09 million hectares | 12.09 million hectares | 12.09 million hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 11.73 million hectares | 11.73 million hectares | 11.73 million hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 10.83 million hectares | 10.83 million hectares | 10.83 million hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 10.20 million hectares | 10.20 million hectares | 10.20 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 11.61 million hectares | 11.61 million hectares | 11.61 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 13.08 million hectares | 13.08 million hectares | 13.08 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 15.80 million hectares | 15.32 million hectares | 16.40 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.87 million hectares | 16.57 million hectares | 17.06 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.28 million hectares | 17.10 million hectares | 17.46 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.68 million hectares | 17.50 million hectares | 17.85 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.69 million hectares | 17.90 million hectares | 19.48 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.95 million hectares | 19.65 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.00 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.00 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More environment data for Zambia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.98 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.03 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.265 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.11 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.74 % 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 3.49 % 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 Zambia?
- Land use over the long-term in Zambia was 20.00 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 20.00 million hectares in 2002.
- What is the lowest land use over the long-term recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.49 million hectares in 1000.
- How does Zambia rank for land use over the long-term?
- Zambia ranks 35th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is land use over the long-term rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.