Land use in Morocco
Morocco: Land use was 8.79 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
8.79 million hectares
Change on year
up 5.0%
World rank
37th
of 224 countries
All-time high
10.05 million hectares
in 2017
All-time low
6.97 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Morocco, 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 Morocco is 8.79 million hectares, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 5.0% on the previous year and down 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Morocco peaked at 10.05 million hectares in 2017 and was at its lowest, 6.97 million hectares, in 1961.
That places Morocco 37th out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Morocco, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.97 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 6.98 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 7.05 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 7.11 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 7.22 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 7.34 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 7.34 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 7.44 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 7.43 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 7.50 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 7.53 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 7.57 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 7.62 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 7.63 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 7.72 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 7.75 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 7.90 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 8.12 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 8.00 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 8.03 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 8.19 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 8.28 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 8.37 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 8.48 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 8.50 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 8.60 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 8.77 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 8.84 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 9.16 million hectares | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 9.44 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 9.46 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 9.72 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 9.81 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 9.96 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 9.75 million hectares | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 9.97 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 9.89 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 9.98 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 9.69 million hectares | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 9.65 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 9.37 million hectares | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 9.28 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 9.88 million hectares | +6.4% |
| 2004 | 9.04 million hectares | -8.5% |
| 2005 | 8.99 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 8.95 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 8.96 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 8.98 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 9.00 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 8.99 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 9.10 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 9.40 million hectares | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 9.59 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 9.08 million hectares | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 9.05 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 9.88 million hectares | +9.2% |
| 2017 | 10.05 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 9.53 million hectares | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 8.61 million hectares | -9.6% |
| 2020 | 8.91 million hectares | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 8.92 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 8.37 million hectares | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 8.79 million hectares | +5.0% |
Morocco compared with similar countries
- Morocco's 8.79 million hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.82 million hectares, 3.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Morocco's 8.79 million hectares is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.45 million hectares, 6.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.21 million hectares | 6.97 million hectares | 7.44 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.74 million hectares | 7.50 million hectares | 8.12 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.52 million hectares | 8.03 million hectares | 9.16 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.77 million hectares | 9.44 million hectares | 9.98 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.21 million hectares | 8.95 million hectares | 9.88 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.33 million hectares | 8.61 million hectares | 10.05 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.75 million hectares | 8.37 million hectares | 8.92 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Morocco
More environment data for Morocco
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -19.84 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -12.62 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.521 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.14 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.3488 % 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 -1.54 % 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 Morocco?
- Land use in Morocco was 8.79 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 Morocco?
- The highest recorded value was 10.05 million hectares in 2017.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Morocco?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.97 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Morocco rank for land use?
- Morocco ranks 37th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Morocco?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Morocco 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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