Land use in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Land use was 3,000 hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3,000 hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
202nd
of 224 countries
All-time high
14,000 hectares
in 1961
All-time low
3,000 hectares
in 2020
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Hong Kong, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Hong Kong recorded 3,000 hectares for land use in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of down 26.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Hong Kong peaked at 14,000 hectares in 1961 and was at its lowest, 3,000 hectares, in 2020.
That places Hong Kong 202nd out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 14,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 13,000 hectares | -7.1% |
| 1965 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 12,000 hectares | -7.7% |
| 1972 | 12,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 12,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 12,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 10,000 hectares | -16.7% |
| 1976 | 10,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 9,000 hectares | -10.0% |
| 1978 | 8,000 hectares | -11.1% |
| 1979 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 8,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 7,000 hectares | -12.5% |
| 1990 | 7,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 7,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 7,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 7,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 7,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 7,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 7,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 6,000 hectares | -14.3% |
| 1998 | 6,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 6,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 6,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 6,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 6,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 6,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 6,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 6,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 5,000 hectares | -16.7% |
| 2007 | 5,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 5,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 5,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4,500 hectares | -10.0% |
| 2011 | 4,500 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4,100 hectares | -8.9% |
| 2013 | 4,100 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4,100 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4,100 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 4,000 hectares | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 4,100 hectares | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 4,000 hectares | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 4,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3,000 hectares | -25.0% |
| 2021 | 3,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3,000 hectares | +0.0% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 3,000 hectares is below the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 1% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 3,000 hectares is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 141,800 hectares, 2% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13,333 hectares | 13,000 hectares | 14,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 10,600 hectares | 8,000 hectares | 13,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 7,900 hectares | 7,000 hectares | 8,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 6,700 hectares | 6,000 hectares | 7,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,600 hectares | 5,000 hectares | 6,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,150 hectares | 4,000 hectares | 4,500 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,000 hectares | 3,000 hectares | 3,000 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
- 200 Djibouti 3,900 hectares compare
- 201 Niue 3,800 hectares compare
- 203 American Samoa 2,960 hectares compare
- 204 Palau 2,300 hectares compare
- 204 San Marino 2,300 hectares compare
More environment data for Hong Kong
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.54 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.98 Percentage change (2025)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) (Mt) 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt) 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) (Mt) 11.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) 3.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use in Hong Kong?
- Land use in Hong Kong was 3,000 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 Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 14,000 hectares in 1961.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,000 hectares in 2020.
- How does Hong Kong rank for land use?
- Hong Kong ranks 202nd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Hong Kong 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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