Land use in Germany
Germany: Land use was 11.88 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
11.88 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
29th
of 224 countries
All-time high
12.72 million hectares
in 1961
All-time low
11.71 million hectares
in 1992
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Germany, 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 Germany stood at 11.88 million hectares.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Germany peaked at 12.72 million hectares in 1961 and was at its lowest, 11.71 million hectares, in 1992.
That places Germany 29th out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Germany, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 12.72 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 12.69 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 12.66 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 12.66 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 12.64 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 12.64 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 12.53 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1968 | 12.51 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 12.48 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 12.39 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 12.40 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 12.44 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 12.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 12.48 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 12.51 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 12.56 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 12.56 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 12.58 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 12.56 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 12.53 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 12.50 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 12.46 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 12.45 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 12.43 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 12.43 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 12.42 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 12.39 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 12.39 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 12.39 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 12.41 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 11.81 million hectares | -4.9% |
| 1992 | 11.71 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 11.91 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 12.04 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 12.06 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 12.06 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 12.06 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 12.11 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 12.04 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 12.02 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 12.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 12.00 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 12.03 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 12.10 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 12.10 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 12.06 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 12.07 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 12.13 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 12.14 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 12.04 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 12.07 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 12.03 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 12.08 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 12.07 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 12.05 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 11.96 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 11.97 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 11.93 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 11.91 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 11.86 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 11.86 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 11.86 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 11.88 million hectares | +0.2% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 11.88 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 39.2× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Germany's 11.88 million hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.39 million hectares, 8.6× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.61 million hectares | 12.48 million hectares | 12.72 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 12.49 million hectares | 12.39 million hectares | 12.58 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.44 million hectares | 12.39 million hectares | 12.53 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.02 million hectares | 11.71 million hectares | 12.41 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.07 million hectares | 12.00 million hectares | 12.14 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.01 million hectares | 11.91 million hectares | 12.08 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.87 million hectares | 11.86 million hectares | 11.88 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Germany
- 26 Cote d'Ivoire 14.30 million hectares compare
- 27 Myanmar 12.52 million hectares compare
- 28 South Africa 12.41 million hectares compare
- 30 Vietnam 11.65 million hectares compare
- 31 Poland 11.55 million hectares compare
- 32 Philippines 11.22 million hectares compare
More environment data for Germany
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.613 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.11 °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 -0.0079 % 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 Germany?
- Land use in Germany was 11.88 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 12.72 million hectares in 1961.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.71 million hectares in 1992.
- How does Germany rank for land use?
- Germany ranks 29th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Germany 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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