Land use in Brazil
Brazil: Land use was 63.40 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
63.40 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
6th
of 224 countries
All-time high
63.52 million hectares
in 2017
All-time low
31.44 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Brazil, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for land use in Brazil is 63.40 million hectares, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Brazil peaked at 63.52 million hectares in 2017 and was at its lowest, 31.44 million hectares, in 1961.
That places Brazil 6th out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Brazil, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 31.44 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 31.97 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 32.50 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 33.02 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 33.55 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 34.08 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 34.61 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 35.13 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 35.66 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 36.19 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 37.39 million hectares | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 38.60 million hectares | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 39.80 million hectares | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 41.00 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 42.21 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 45.37 million hectares | +7.5% |
| 1977 | 48.53 million hectares | +7.0% |
| 1978 | 51.69 million hectares | +6.5% |
| 1979 | 54.85 million hectares | +6.1% |
| 1980 | 58.02 million hectares | +5.8% |
| 1981 | 58.98 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 59.94 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 60.90 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 61.85 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 62.81 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 61.54 million hectares | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 60.27 million hectares | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 59.00 million hectares | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 57.73 million hectares | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 56.46 million hectares | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 55.19 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 53.91 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 52.64 million hectares | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 51.37 million hectares | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 50.10 million hectares | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 51.06 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 52.01 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 52.96 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 53.92 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 54.87 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 55.82 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 56.78 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 57.73 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 58.68 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 59.63 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 60.59 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 60.86 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 61.12 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 61.39 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 61.66 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 61.92 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 62.19 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 62.45 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 62.72 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 62.99 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 63.25 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 63.52 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 63.49 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 63.47 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 63.45 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 63.42 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 63.40 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 63.40 million hectares | +0.0% |
Brazil compared with similar countries
- Brazil's 63.40 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.58 million hectares, 40.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Brazil's 63.40 million hectares is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 544,348 hectares, 116.5× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 33.55 million hectares | 31.44 million hectares | 35.66 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 43.56 million hectares | 36.19 million hectares | 54.85 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 60.10 million hectares | 57.73 million hectares | 62.81 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.96 million hectares | 50.10 million hectares | 56.46 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.75 million hectares | 54.87 million hectares | 61.39 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.77 million hectares | 61.66 million hectares | 63.52 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.42 million hectares | 63.40 million hectares | 63.45 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More environment data for Brazil
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -6.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -8.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.221 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.36 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.155 % 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 -2.73 % 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 in Brazil?
- Land use in Brazil was 63.40 million hectares in 2023, 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 recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 63.52 million hectares in 2017.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.44 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Brazil rank for land use?
- Brazil ranks 6th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brazil 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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