Land use in Ecuador
Ecuador: Land use was 2.41 million hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
2.41 million hectares
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
84th
of 224 countries
All-time high
3.04 million hectares
in 1994
All-time low
2.34 million hectares
in 2022
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Ecuador, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, land use in Ecuador stood at 2.41 million hectares.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Ecuador peaked at 3.04 million hectares in 1994 and was at its lowest, 2.34 million hectares, in 2022.
Ecuador ranks 84th of 224 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Land use in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.51 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 2.51 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2.52 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 2.52 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2.53 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 2.53 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 2.54 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 2.54 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 2.54 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 2.56 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 2.56 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 2.58 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 2.58 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 2.61 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 2.58 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 2.56 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 2.54 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 2.50 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 2.49 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 2.46 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 2.54 million hectares | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 2.54 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 2.60 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 2.65 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 2.72 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 2.78 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 2.84 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 2.85 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 2.85 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.92 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 3.00 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 3.02 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 2.97 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 3.04 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 3.00 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 2.99 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 3.00 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 3.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.98 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 2.98 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.80 million hectares | -6.0% |
| 2002 | 2.60 million hectares | -7.1% |
| 2003 | 2.49 million hectares | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 2.52 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 2.51 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 2.45 million hectares | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 2.42 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 2.50 million hectares | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 2.55 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 2.58 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 2.54 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 2.53 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 2.66 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 2.39 million hectares | -10.4% |
| 2015 | 2.55 million hectares | +6.9% |
| 2016 | 2.42 million hectares | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 2.46 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 2.35 million hectares | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 2.43 million hectares | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 2.48 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 2.45 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 2.34 million hectares | -4.4% |
| 2023 | 2.41 million hectares | +2.9% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 2.41 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.58 million hectares, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 2.41 million hectares is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 544,348 hectares, 4.4× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.53 million hectares | 2.51 million hectares | 2.54 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.56 million hectares | 2.49 million hectares | 2.61 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.68 million hectares | 2.46 million hectares | 2.85 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.99 million hectares | 2.92 million hectares | 3.04 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.58 million hectares | 2.42 million hectares | 2.98 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.49 million hectares | 2.35 million hectares | 2.66 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.42 million hectares | 2.34 million hectares | 2.48 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More environment data for Ecuador
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 0.3767 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.4 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.49 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.65 % 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 -1.14 % 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 Ecuador?
- Land use in Ecuador was 2.41 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 Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 3.04 million hectares in 1994.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.34 million hectares in 2022.
- How does Ecuador rank for land use?
- Ecuador ranks 84th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ecuador 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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