Land use in Iraq
Iraq: Land use was 5.49 million hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
5.49 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
53rd
of 224 countries
All-time high
5.87 million hectares
in 1993
All-time low
3.85 million hectares
in 2009
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Iraq, 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 Iraq stood at 5.49 million hectares.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Iraq peaked at 5.87 million hectares in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3.85 million hectares, in 2009.
Iraq ranks 53rd of 224 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Land use in Iraq, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.70 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 4.75 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 4.81 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 4.87 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 4.92 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 4.92 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 4.98 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 4.99 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 4.99 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 4.99 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 5.00 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 5.16 million hectares | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 5.17 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 5.28 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 5.29 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 5.29 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 5.29 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 5.39 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 5.44 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 5.44 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 5.44 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 5.45 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 5.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 5.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 5.46 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 5.48 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 5.47 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 5.51 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 5.23 million hectares | -5.1% |
| 1990 | 5.24 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 5.63 million hectares | +7.5% |
| 1992 | 5.54 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 5.87 million hectares | +6.0% |
| 1994 | 5.32 million hectares | -9.4% |
| 1995 | 5.07 million hectares | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 5.07 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 4.65 million hectares | -8.3% |
| 1998 | 4.64 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 4.48 million hectares | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 4.50 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 4.49 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 4.68 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 4.68 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4.63 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 4.78 million hectares | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 4.98 million hectares | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 5.13 million hectares | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 4.20 million hectares | -18.2% |
| 2009 | 3.85 million hectares | -8.5% |
| 2010 | 4.22 million hectares | +9.7% |
| 2011 | 4.53 million hectares | +7.3% |
| 2012 | 4.57 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 4.89 million hectares | +6.9% |
| 2014 | 5.33 million hectares | +9.2% |
| 2015 | 5.27 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 5.32 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 5.34 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 5.38 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 5.45 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 5.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 5.50 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 5.47 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 5.49 million hectares | +0.4% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 5.49 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.58 million hectares, 3.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 5.49 million hectares is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.45 million hectares, 3.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.88 million hectares | 4.70 million hectares | 4.99 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.23 million hectares | 4.99 million hectares | 5.44 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.44 million hectares | 5.23 million hectares | 5.51 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.15 million hectares | 4.48 million hectares | 5.87 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.59 million hectares | 3.85 million hectares | 5.13 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.03 million hectares | 4.22 million hectares | 5.45 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.48 million hectares | 5.45 million hectares | 5.50 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More environment data for Iraq
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -38.03 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -26.27 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.549 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.99 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2 % 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 6.65 % 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 Iraq?
- Land use in Iraq was 5.49 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 5.87 million hectares in 1993.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.85 million hectares in 2009.
- How does Iraq rank for land use?
- Iraq ranks 53rd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iraq 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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