Land use in Gambia
Gambia: Land use was 447,000 hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
447,000 hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
134th
of 224 countries
All-time high
457,000 hectares
in 2010
All-time low
124,000 hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Gambia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Gambia recorded 447,000 hectares for land use in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Gambia peaked at 457,000 hectares in 2010 and was at its lowest, 124,000 hectares, in 1961.
Gambia ranks 134th of 224 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Gambia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 124,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 125,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 126,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 127,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 128,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 129,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 131,000 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 131,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 133,000 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 134,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 137,000 hectares | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 142,000 hectares | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 147,000 hectares | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 174,000 hectares | +18.4% |
| 1975 | 168,000 hectares | -3.4% |
| 1976 | 167,000 hectares | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 174,000 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1978 | 181,000 hectares | +4.0% |
| 1979 | 170,000 hectares | -6.1% |
| 1980 | 163,000 hectares | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 185,000 hectares | +13.5% |
| 1982 | 206,000 hectares | +11.4% |
| 1983 | 187,000 hectares | -9.2% |
| 1984 | 173,000 hectares | -7.5% |
| 1985 | 173,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 182,000 hectares | +5.2% |
| 1987 | 189,000 hectares | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 204,000 hectares | +7.9% |
| 1989 | 186,000 hectares | -8.8% |
| 1990 | 192,000 hectares | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 201,000 hectares | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 167,000 hectares | -16.9% |
| 1993 | 166,000 hectares | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 185,000 hectares | +11.4% |
| 1995 | 190,000 hectares | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 195,000 hectares | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 210,000 hectares | +7.7% |
| 1998 | 220,000 hectares | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 230,000 hectares | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 239,000 hectares | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 249,000 hectares | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 259,000 hectares | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 269,000 hectares | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 278,000 hectares | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 288,000 hectares | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 299,000 hectares | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 309,000 hectares | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 379,000 hectares | +22.7% |
| 2009 | 435,000 hectares | +14.8% |
| 2010 | 457,000 hectares | +5.1% |
| 2011 | 457,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 457,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 457,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 457,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 457,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 457,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 447,000 hectares | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 447,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 447,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 447,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 447,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 447,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 447,000 hectares | +0.0% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 447,000 hectares is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.60 million hectares, 12% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 447,000 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.21 million hectares, 14% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 128,222 hectares | 124,000 hectares | 133,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 159,400 hectares | 134,000 hectares | 181,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 184,800 hectares | 163,000 hectares | 206,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 195,600 hectares | 166,000 hectares | 230,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 300,400 hectares | 239,000 hectares | 435,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 454,000 hectares | 447,000 hectares | 457,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 447,000 hectares | 447,000 hectares | 447,000 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
- 131 Gabon 495,000 hectares compare
- 132 Mauritania 460,000 hectares compare
- 133 North Macedonia 456,000 hectares compare
- 135 Bosnia and Herzegovina 444,000 hectares compare
- 136 Ireland 441,000 hectares compare
- 137 Georgia 431,900 hectares compare
More environment data for Gambia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.15 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.18 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.366 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.36 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9281 % 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 -1.52 % 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 Gambia?
- Land use in Gambia was 447,000 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 Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 457,000 hectares in 2010.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 124,000 hectares in 1961.
- How does Gambia rank for land use?
- Gambia ranks 134th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Gambia 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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