Land use in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Land use was 16.90 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
16.90 million hectares
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
23rd
of 224 countries
All-time high
16.90 million hectares
in 2023
All-time low
6.95 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Democratic Republic of Congo, 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 Democratic Republic of Congo is 16.90 million hectares, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 16.90 million hectares in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.95 million hectares, in 1961.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 23rd 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 Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.95 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 6.97 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 7.00 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 7.03 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 7.05 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 7.07 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 7.10 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 7.15 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 7.20 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 7.25 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 7.30 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 7.35 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 7.40 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 7.45 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 7.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 7.50 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 7.53 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 7.55 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 7.55 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 7.60 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 7.65 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 7.67 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 7.70 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 7.75 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 7.80 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 7.85 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 7.85 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 7.85 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 7.85 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 7.86 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 7.88 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 7.90 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 7.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 7.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 7.70 million hectares | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 7.70 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 7.60 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 7.60 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 7.50 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 7.50 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 7.45 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 7.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 7.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 7.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 7.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 7.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 7.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 7.50 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 8.69 million hectares | +15.8% |
| 2010 | 10.23 million hectares | +17.8% |
| 2011 | 11.44 million hectares | +11.8% |
| 2012 | 12.69 million hectares | +10.9% |
| 2013 | 13.23 million hectares | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 14.05 million hectares | +6.2% |
| 2015 | 14.25 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 14.47 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 15.09 million hectares | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 15.41 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 15.64 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 15.68 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 15.68 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 16.49 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 16.90 million hectares | +2.4% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 16.90 million hectares is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.60 million hectares, 4.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 16.90 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.21 million hectares, 5.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.06 million hectares | 6.95 million hectares | 7.20 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.43 million hectares | 7.25 million hectares | 7.55 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.76 million hectares | 7.60 million hectares | 7.85 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.75 million hectares | 7.50 million hectares | 7.90 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.58 million hectares | 7.45 million hectares | 8.69 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.65 million hectares | 10.23 million hectares | 15.64 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.19 million hectares | 15.68 million hectares | 16.90 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More environment data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.26 % 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 5.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 0.338 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Land use in Democratic Republic of Congo was 16.90 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 Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 16.90 million hectares in 2023.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.95 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for land use?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 23rd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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.
Download this data
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