Land use in Qatar
Qatar: Land use was 24,000 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
24,000 hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
173rd
of 224 countries
All-time high
24,000 hectares
in 2018
All-time low
1,000 hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Qatar, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Qatar recorded 24,000 hectares for land use in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Qatar peaked at 24,000 hectares in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1,000 hectares, in 1961.
That places Qatar 173rd out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Land use in Qatar, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 2,000 hectares | +100.0% |
| 1975 | 2,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 2,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 2,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 2,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 3,000 hectares | +50.0% |
| 1980 | 5,000 hectares | +66.7% |
| 1981 | 6,000 hectares | +20.0% |
| 1982 | 7,000 hectares | +16.7% |
| 1983 | 8,000 hectares | +14.3% |
| 1984 | 9,000 hectares | +12.5% |
| 1985 | 9,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 10,000 hectares | +11.1% |
| 1987 | 11,000 hectares | +10.0% |
| 1988 | 11,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 10,000 hectares | -9.1% |
| 1990 | 11,000 hectares | +10.0% |
| 1991 | 11,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 14,000 hectares | +27.3% |
| 1993 | 15,000 hectares | +7.1% |
| 1994 | 15,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 15,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 16,000 hectares | +6.7% |
| 1997 | 16,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 16,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 16,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 16,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 16,300 hectares | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 15,700 hectares | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 16,200 hectares | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 15,200 hectares | -6.2% |
| 2005 | 14,600 hectares | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 15,300 hectares | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 16,000 hectares | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 16,700 hectares | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 17,400 hectares | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 18,100 hectares | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 18,800 hectares | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 19,500 hectares | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 20,200 hectares | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 21,000 hectares | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 21,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 21,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 22,000 hectares | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 24,000 hectares | +9.1% |
| 2019 | 24,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 24,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 24,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 24,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 24,000 hectares | +0.0% |
Qatar compared with similar countries
- Qatar's 24,000 hectares is below the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 8% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Qatar's 24,000 hectares is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.45 million hectares, 2% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,000 hectares | 1,000 hectares | 1,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 1,700 hectares | 1,000 hectares | 3,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 8,600 hectares | 5,000 hectares | 11,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 14,500 hectares | 11,000 hectares | 16,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 15,940 hectares | 14,600 hectares | 17,400 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 20,960 hectares | 18,100 hectares | 24,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 24,000 hectares | 24,000 hectares | 24,000 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
- 170 Tonga 31,000 hectares compare
- 171 Reunion 28,665 hectares compare
- 172 French Polynesia 28,500 hectares compare
- 174 Isle of Man 23,440 hectares compare
- 175 Dominica 23,000 hectares compare
- 176 Guadeloupe 22,387 hectares compare
More environment data for Qatar
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -61.67 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -51.99 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.396 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.77 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 4.24 % 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 0.0001 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -2.79 % 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 Qatar?
- Land use in Qatar was 24,000 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 Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was 24,000 hectares in 2018.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,000 hectares in 1961.
- How does Qatar rank for land use?
- Qatar ranks 173rd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Qatar 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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