Land use for palm oil production in Malaysia
Malaysia: Land use for palm oil production was 5.07 million hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
5.07 million hectares
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
2nd
of 44 countries
All-time high
5.23 million hectares
in 2020
All-time low
43,302 hectares
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Land use for palm oil production in Malaysia, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 5.07 million hectares for land use for palm oil production in 2024.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use for palm oil production in Malaysia peaked at 5.23 million hectares in 2020 and was at its lowest, 43,302 hectares, in 1961.
That places Malaysia 2nd out of 44 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Land use for palm oil production in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 43,302 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 46,175 hectares | +6.6% |
| 1963 | 49,073 hectares | +6.3% |
| 1964 | 52,900 hectares | +7.8% |
| 1965 | 59,000 hectares | +11.5% |
| 1966 | 67,400 hectares | +14.2% |
| 1967 | 78,500 hectares | +16.5% |
| 1968 | 99,100 hectares | +26.2% |
| 1969 | 125,400 hectares | +26.5% |
| 1970 | 149,900 hectares | +19.5% |
| 1971 | 184,000 hectares | +22.7% |
| 1972 | 235,100 hectares | +27.8% |
| 1973 | 278,300 hectares | +18.4% |
| 1974 | 329,800 hectares | +18.5% |
| 1975 | 385,666 hectares | +16.9% |
| 1976 | 454,009 hectares | +17.7% |
| 1977 | 521,486 hectares | +14.9% |
| 1978 | 603,087 hectares | +15.6% |
| 1979 | 670,299 hectares | +11.1% |
| 1980 | 777,388 hectares | +16.0% |
| 1981 | 848,143 hectares | +9.1% |
| 1982 | 888,619 hectares | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 1.01 million hectares | +13.8% |
| 1984 | 1.07 million hectares | +6.1% |
| 1985 | 1.20 million hectares | +12.0% |
| 1986 | 1.36 million hectares | +13.3% |
| 1987 | 1.37 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 1.53 million hectares | +11.5% |
| 1989 | 1.67 million hectares | +9.2% |
| 1990 | 1.75 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 2.09 million hectares | +19.9% |
| 1992 | 2.20 million hectares | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 2.31 million hectares | +4.9% |
| 1994 | 2.41 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1995 | 2.54 million hectares | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 2.69 million hectares | +6.0% |
| 1997 | 2.89 million hectares | +7.5% |
| 1998 | 3.08 million hectares | +6.4% |
| 1999 | 3.31 million hectares | +7.6% |
| 2000 | 3.38 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 3.50 million hectares | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 3.67 million hectares | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 3.80 million hectares | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 3.88 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 4.05 million hectares | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 4.17 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 4.30 million hectares | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 4.49 million hectares | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 4.69 million hectares | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 4.85 million hectares | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 5.00 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 5.08 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 5.23 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 4.69 million hectares | -10.3% |
| 2015 | 4.86 million hectares | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 5.00 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 5.11 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 5.19 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 5.22 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 5.23 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 5.14 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 5.13 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 5.13 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 5.07 million hectares | -1.2% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 5.07 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 101,305 hectares, 50.0× the median. (16 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 5.07 million hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 175,126 hectares, 28.9× the median. (8 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 68,983 hectares | 43,302 hectares | 125,400 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 381,165 hectares | 149,900 hectares | 670,299 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.17 million hectares | 777,388 hectares | 1.67 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.53 million hectares | 1.75 million hectares | 3.31 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.99 million hectares | 3.38 million hectares | 4.69 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.02 million hectares | 4.69 million hectares | 5.23 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.14 million hectares | 5.07 million hectares | 5.23 million hectares | 5 |
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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -2.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use for palm oil production in Malaysia?
- Land use for palm oil production in Malaysia was 5.07 million hectares in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use for palm oil production recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.23 million hectares in 2020.
- What is the lowest land use for palm oil production recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 43,302 hectares in 1961.
- How does Malaysia rank for land use for palm oil production?
- Malaysia ranks 2nd out of 44 countries with data for 2024.
- Is land use for palm oil production rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use for palm oil production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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