Land use in Norway
Norway: Land use was 806,000 hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
806,000 hectares
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
119th
of 224 countries
All-time high
1.00 million hectares
in 1996
All-time low
790,000 hectares
in 1973
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Norway, 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 Norway is 806,000 hectares, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Norway peaked at 1.00 million hectares in 1996 and was at its lowest, 790,000 hectares, in 1973.
That places Norway 119th out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Land use in Norway, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 857,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 855,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 853,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 851,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 849,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 847,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 845,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 843,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 827,000 hectares | -1.9% |
| 1970 | 814,000 hectares | -1.6% |
| 1971 | 806,000 hectares | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 795,000 hectares | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 790,000 hectares | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 793,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 792,000 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 795,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 800,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 806,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 830,000 hectares | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 817,000 hectares | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 828,000 hectares | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 841,000 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 849,000 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 855,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 858,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 869,000 hectares | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 869,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 874,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 882,000 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 864,000 hectares | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 892,000 hectares | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 883,000 hectares | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 890,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 901,000 hectares | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 992,000 hectares | +10.1% |
| 1996 | 1.00 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 902,000 hectares | -9.8% |
| 1998 | 903,000 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 887,000 hectares | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 884,000 hectares | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 886,000 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 883,000 hectares | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 876,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 874,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 867,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 863,000 hectares | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 857,400 hectares | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 849,700 hectares | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 839,460 hectares | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 830,100 hectares | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 822,400 hectares | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 816,300 hectares | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 810,754 hectares | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 811,130 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 810,163 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 808,158 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 804,506 hectares | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 806,283 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 805,146 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 807,663 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 807,000 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 807,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 806,000 hectares | -0.1% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 806,000 hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 2.7× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Norway's 806,000 hectares is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.39 million hectares, 58% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 847,444 hectares | 827,000 hectares | 857,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 802,100 hectares | 790,000 hectares | 830,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 854,200 hectares | 817,000 hectares | 882,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 911,400 hectares | 864,000 hectares | 1.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 867,956 hectares | 839,460 hectares | 886,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 812,494 hectares | 804,506 hectares | 830,100 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 806,916 hectares | 806,000 hectares | 807,663 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More environment data for Norway
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 0.9857 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 0.8118 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.738 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.52 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.08 % 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 -0.28 % 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 Norway?
- Land use in Norway was 806,000 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 1.00 million hectares in 1996.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 790,000 hectares in 1973.
- How does Norway rank for land use?
- Norway ranks 119th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Norway 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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