Land use in Greece
Greece: Land use was 2.90 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2.90 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
74th
of 224 countries
All-time high
3.97 million hectares
in 1990
All-time low
2.81 million hectares
in 2020
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Greece, 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 Greece is 2.90 million hectares, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Greece peaked at 3.97 million hectares in 1990 and was at its lowest, 2.81 million hectares, in 2020.
Greece ranks 74th of 224 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Greece, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.70 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 3.70 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 3.90 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 1964 | 3.85 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1965 | 3.85 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 3.85 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 3.87 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 3.90 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 3.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 3.91 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 3.91 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 3.91 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 3.89 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 3.89 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 3.87 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 3.86 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 3.86 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 3.92 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 3.93 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 3.92 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 3.95 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 3.95 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 3.93 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 3.95 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 3.93 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 3.92 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 3.92 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 3.92 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 3.96 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 3.97 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 3.94 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 3.94 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 3.92 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 3.92 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3.90 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 3.90 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 3.88 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 3.88 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 3.87 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 3.85 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 3.85 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 3.85 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 3.84 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 3.76 million hectares | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 3.77 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 3.72 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 3.70 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 3.69 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 3.69 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 3.70 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 3.70 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 3.68 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 3.63 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 3.33 million hectares | -8.4% |
| 2015 | 3.28 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 3.25 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 3.23 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 3.23 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.22 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 2.81 million hectares | -12.6% |
| 2021 | 2.84 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 2.90 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 2.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
Greece compared with similar countries
- Greece's 2.90 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 9.6× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Greece's 2.90 million hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.39 million hectares, 2.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.84 million hectares | 3.70 million hectares | 3.90 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.89 million hectares | 3.86 million hectares | 3.93 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.94 million hectares | 3.92 million hectares | 3.96 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.91 million hectares | 3.87 million hectares | 3.97 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.77 million hectares | 3.69 million hectares | 3.85 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.42 million hectares | 3.22 million hectares | 3.70 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.86 million hectares | 2.81 million hectares | 2.90 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Greece
More environment data for Greece
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 3.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 3.43 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.43 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.95 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.28 % 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 -1.16 % 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 Greece?
- Land use in Greece was 2.90 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 Greece?
- The highest recorded value was 3.97 million hectares in 1990.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Greece?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.81 million hectares in 2020.
- How does Greece rank for land use?
- Greece ranks 74th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Greece?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Greece 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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