Land use in OECD (FAO)
OECD (FAO): Land use was 382.61 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
382.61 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
1st
of 1 groups
All-time high
426.74 million hectares
in 1969
All-time low
382.61 million hectares
in 2023
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in OECD (FAO), 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 OECD (FAO) stood at 382.61 million hectares. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in OECD (FAO) peaked at 426.74 million hectares in 1969 and was at its lowest, 382.61 million hectares, in 2023.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in OECD (FAO), year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 413.68 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 411.44 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 414.45 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 413.31 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 413.02 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 412.70 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 411.34 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 419.52 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 426.74 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 423.06 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 418.80 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 418.69 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 415.93 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 415.05 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 413.55 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 414.38 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 415.25 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 419.93 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 421.02 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 421.36 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 422.07 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 421.18 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 420.79 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 424.33 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 423.84 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 423.62 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 421.60 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 419.66 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 419.60 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 419.22 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 419.24 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 418.48 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 422.26 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 421.79 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 417.98 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 417.61 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 417.99 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 417.28 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 416.91 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 416.45 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 416.04 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 411.51 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 406.84 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 407.47 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 404.75 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 398.77 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 392.98 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 392.04 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 392.50 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 387.50 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 390.61 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 390.16 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 389.48 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 390.80 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 390.17 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 389.01 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 388.65 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 386.76 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 384.75 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 385.14 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 385.22 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 383.56 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 382.61 million hectares | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 415.13 million hectares | 411.34 million hectares | 426.74 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 417.57 million hectares | 413.55 million hectares | 423.06 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 421.80 million hectares | 419.60 million hectares | 424.33 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 418.88 million hectares | 416.91 million hectares | 422.26 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 403.94 million hectares | 392.04 million hectares | 416.45 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 388.79 million hectares | 384.75 million hectares | 390.80 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 384.13 million hectares | 382.61 million hectares | 385.22 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near OECD (FAO)
More environment data for OECD (FAO)
- Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted 118.70 million hectares (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use in OECD (FAO)?
- Land use in OECD (FAO) was 382.61 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 OECD (FAO)?
- The highest recorded value was 426.74 million hectares in 1969.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in OECD (FAO)?
- The lowest recorded value was 382.61 million hectares in 2023.
- How does OECD (FAO) rank for land use?
- OECD (FAO) ranks 1st out of 1 groups with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in OECD (FAO)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD (FAO) 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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