Land use in Nepal
Nepal: Land use was 1.95 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.95 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
92nd
of 224 countries
All-time high
2.47 million hectares
in 2001
All-time low
1.83 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Nepal, 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 Nepal stood at 1.95 million hectares.
The figure is down 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Nepal peaked at 2.47 million hectares in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1.83 million hectares, in 1961.
Nepal ranks 92nd of 224 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Nepal, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.83 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 1.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1.84 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 1.83 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 1.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.84 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 1.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.98 million hectares | +7.3% |
| 1971 | 1.98 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 2.08 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 1973 | 2.19 million hectares | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 2.21 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 2.22 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 2.24 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 2.25 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 2.27 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 2.28 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 2.30 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 2.32 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 2.32 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 2.32 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 2.33 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 2.33 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 2.33 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 2.34 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 2.34 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 2.35 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 2.35 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 2.35 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 2.37 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 2.38 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 2.39 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 2.40 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 2.41 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 2.43 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 2.44 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 2.45 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 2.46 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 2.47 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 2.46 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 2.44 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 2.43 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 2.41 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 2.40 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 2.38 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 2.36 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 2.35 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 2.33 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 2.33 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 2.29 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 2.26 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 2.24 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 2.21 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 2.18 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 2.15 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 2.07 million hectares | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 2.04 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 2.00 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 1.98 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 1.95 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 1.95 million hectares | -0.0% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 1.95 million hectares is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.82 million hectares, 69% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 1.95 million hectares is below the median for South Asia, which is 2.26 million hectares, 86% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.84 million hectares | 1.83 million hectares | 1.84 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.17 million hectares | 1.98 million hectares | 2.28 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.33 million hectares | 2.30 million hectares | 2.35 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.40 million hectares | 2.35 million hectares | 2.45 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.42 million hectares | 2.35 million hectares | 2.47 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.21 million hectares | 2.04 million hectares | 2.33 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.97 million hectares | 1.95 million hectares | 2.00 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More environment data for Nepal
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.41 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.265 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.43 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.54 % 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 -6.53 % 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 Nepal?
- Land use in Nepal was 1.95 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 2.47 million hectares in 2001.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.83 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Nepal rank for land use?
- Nepal ranks 92nd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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.
Download this data
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