Land use in Niger
Niger: Land use was 17.82 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
17.82 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
21st
of 224 countries
All-time high
17.82 million hectares
in 2022
All-time low
9.50 million hectares
in 1988
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Niger, 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 Niger stood at 17.82 million hectares.
The figure is up 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Niger peaked at 17.82 million hectares in 2022 and was at its lowest, 9.50 million hectares, in 1988.
That places Niger 21st out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Niger, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 11.50 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 11.50 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 11.50 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 11.50 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 11.50 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 11.50 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 11.50 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 12.18 million hectares | +5.9% |
| 1969 | 12.18 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1970 | 11.20 million hectares | -8.0% |
| 1971 | 11.23 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 11.18 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 10.81 million hectares | -3.2% |
| 1974 | 9.78 million hectares | -9.6% |
| 1975 | 9.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 9.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 9.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 9.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 9.96 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 10.22 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 9.78 million hectares | -4.3% |
| 1982 | 9.86 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 10.01 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 9.78 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 9.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 9.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 9.51 million hectares | -2.7% |
| 1988 | 9.50 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 9.61 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 11.05 million hectares | +15.0% |
| 1991 | 12.11 million hectares | +9.6% |
| 1992 | 13.00 million hectares | +7.4% |
| 1993 | 13.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 13.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 14.00 million hectares | +7.7% |
| 1996 | 14.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 14.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 14.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 14.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 14.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 14.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 14.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 14.10 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 14.16 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 14.18 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 14.21 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 15.00 million hectares | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 15.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 15.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 15.20 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 15.70 million hectares | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 16.00 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 16.90 million hectares | +5.6% |
| 2014 | 16.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 16.91 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 17.61 million hectares | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 17.81 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 17.81 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 17.81 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 17.82 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 17.82 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 17.82 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 17.82 million hectares | -0.0% |
Niger compared with similar countries
- Niger's 17.82 million hectares is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.60 million hectares, 4.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Niger's 17.82 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.21 million hectares, 5.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.65 million hectares | 11.50 million hectares | 12.18 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.33 million hectares | 9.78 million hectares | 11.23 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.78 million hectares | 9.50 million hectares | 10.22 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.22 million hectares | 11.05 million hectares | 14.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.37 million hectares | 14.00 million hectares | 15.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.87 million hectares | 15.20 million hectares | 17.81 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.82 million hectares | 17.82 million hectares | 17.82 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Niger
More environment data for Niger
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 4.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.65 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.334 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.68 % 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 2.69 % 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 Niger?
- Land use in Niger was 17.82 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 Niger?
- The highest recorded value was 17.82 million hectares in 2022.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Niger?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.50 million hectares in 1988.
- How does Niger rank for land use?
- Niger ranks 21st out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Niger?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Niger 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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