Land use in Malta
Malta: Land use was 8,291 hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
8,291 hectares
Change on year
down 5.2%
World rank
186th
of 224 countries
All-time high
18,000 hectares
in 1961
All-time low
8,291 hectares
in 2023
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Malta, 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 Malta stood at 8,291 hectares. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 5.2% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Malta peaked at 18,000 hectares in 1961 and was at its lowest, 8,291 hectares, in 2023.
That places Malta 186th 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 Malta, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 18,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 17,000 hectares | -5.6% |
| 1963 | 16,000 hectares | -5.9% |
| 1964 | 15,000 hectares | -6.2% |
| 1965 | 14,000 hectares | -6.7% |
| 1966 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 13,000 hectares | -7.1% |
| 1976 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 14,000 hectares | +7.7% |
| 1978 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 14,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 13,000 hectares | -7.1% |
| 1981 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 13,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 11,000 hectares | -15.4% |
| 1996 | 11,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 10,000 hectares | -9.1% |
| 1998 | 9,000 hectares | -10.0% |
| 1999 | 9,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 9,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 10,000 hectares | +11.1% |
| 2002 | 10,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 10,400 hectares | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 10,000 hectares | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 9,300 hectares | -7.0% |
| 2006 | 9,300 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 9,300 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 9,300 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 9,300 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 10,330 hectares | +11.1% |
| 2011 | 10,330 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 10,300 hectares | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 10,230 hectares | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 10,230 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 10,230 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 10,380 hectares | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 10,380 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 10,380 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 10,380 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9,110 hectares | -12.2% |
| 2021 | 8,750 hectares | -4.0% |
| 2022 | 8,750 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 8,291 hectares | -5.2% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 8,291 hectares is below the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 3% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Malta's 8,291 hectares is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.45 million hectares, 1% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15,111 hectares | 14,000 hectares | 18,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 13,800 hectares | 13,000 hectares | 14,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 13,000 hectares | 13,000 hectares | 13,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 11,500 hectares | 9,000 hectares | 13,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 9,590 hectares | 9,000 hectares | 10,400 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 10,317 hectares | 10,230 hectares | 10,380 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 8,725 hectares | 8,291 hectares | 9,110 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 183 Brunei 10,000 hectares compare
- 184 New Caledonia 9,700 hectares compare
- 185 Saint Lucia 9,570 hectares compare
- 187 Barbados 8,000 hectares compare
- 187 Guam 8,000 hectares compare
- 187 Netherlands Antilles 8,000 hectares compare
More environment data for Malta
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.15 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.15 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.365 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.16 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8269 % 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 % 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 Malta?
- Land use in Malta was 8,291 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 18,000 hectares in 1961.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,291 hectares in 2023.
- How does Malta rank for land use?
- Malta ranks 186th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malta 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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