Land use in Switzerland
Switzerland: Land use was 421,731 hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
421,731 hectares
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
138th
of 224 countries
All-time high
445,687 hectares
in 1995
All-time low
372,700 hectares
in 1970
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Switzerland, 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 Switzerland is 421,731 hectares, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Switzerland peaked at 445,687 hectares in 1995 and was at its lowest, 372,700 hectares, in 1970.
That places Switzerland 138th out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 408,300 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 410,200 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 400,800 hectares | -2.3% |
| 1964 | 396,800 hectares | -1.0% |
| 1965 | 392,800 hectares | -1.0% |
| 1966 | 386,500 hectares | -1.6% |
| 1967 | 379,300 hectares | -1.9% |
| 1968 | 376,100 hectares | -0.8% |
| 1969 | 377,000 hectares | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 372,700 hectares | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 373,500 hectares | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 380,000 hectares | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 380,100 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 383,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 388,300 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 389,000 hectares | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 389,600 hectares | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 395,000 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 396,738 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 402,597 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 406,510 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 410,959 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 416,459 hectares | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 424,258 hectares | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 427,264 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 427,007 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 421,697 hectares | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 425,242 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 432,095 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 426,354 hectares | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 430,632 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 429,346 hectares | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 433,041 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 442,631 hectares | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 445,687 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 443,674 hectares | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 437,730 hectares | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 436,134 hectares | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 433,068 hectares | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 431,922 hectares | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 432,673 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 431,596 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 429,506 hectares | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 429,042 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 428,776 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 429,507 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 429,300 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 429,019 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 429,206 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 427,768 hectares | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 427,162 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 427,356 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 427,503 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 424,979 hectares | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 423,209 hectares | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 423,743 hectares | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 423,088 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 423,360 hectares | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 423,812 hectares | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 425,037 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 420,690 hectares | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 421,652 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 421,731 hectares | +0.0% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 421,731 hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 1.4× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 421,731 hectares is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.39 million hectares, 30% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 391,978 hectares | 376,100 hectares | 410,200 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 384,794 hectares | 372,700 hectares | 396,738 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 419,409 hectares | 402,597 hectares | 432,095 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 435,830 hectares | 426,354 hectares | 445,687 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 430,055 hectares | 428,776 hectares | 432,673 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 425,198 hectares | 423,088 hectares | 427,768 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 422,278 hectares | 420,690 hectares | 425,037 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More environment data for Switzerland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2925 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.4333 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.458 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.33 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2741 % 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 0.0914 % 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 Switzerland?
- Land use in Switzerland was 421,731 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 445,687 hectares in 1995.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 372,700 hectares in 1970.
- How does Switzerland rank for land use?
- Switzerland ranks 138th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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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