Land use in Syria
Syria: Land use was 5.44 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
5.44 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
54th
of 224 countries
All-time high
6.65 million hectares
in 1964
All-time low
5.35 million hectares
in 2000
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Syria, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Syria recorded 5.44 million hectares for land use in 2023.
The figure is down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Syria peaked at 6.65 million hectares in 1964 and was at its lowest, 5.35 million hectares, in 2000.
Syria ranks 54th of 224 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Syria, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.38 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 6.44 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 6.54 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 6.65 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 6.60 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1966 | 6.13 million hectares | -7.1% |
| 1967 | 6.13 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 5.86 million hectares | -4.4% |
| 1969 | 5.88 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 5.91 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 5.91 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 6.00 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 5.88 million hectares | -2.0% |
| 1974 | 6.03 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 5.48 million hectares | -9.1% |
| 1976 | 5.67 million hectares | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 5.51 million hectares | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 5.59 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 5.69 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 5.68 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 5.76 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 5.80 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 5.61 million hectares | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 5.65 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 5.62 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 5.63 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 5.63 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 5.50 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 5.50 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 5.63 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 5.58 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 5.55 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 5.43 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 5.49 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 5.50 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 5.47 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 5.52 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 5.48 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 5.50 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 5.35 million hectares | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 5.45 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 5.42 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 5.48 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 5.63 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 5.56 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 5.59 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 5.68 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 5.67 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 5.66 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 5.70 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 5.72 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 5.73 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 5.73 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 5.73 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 5.73 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 5.73 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 5.73 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 5.73 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 5.72 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 5.73 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 5.58 million hectares | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 5.44 million hectares | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 5.44 million hectares | +0.0% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 5.44 million hectares is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.60 million hectares, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 5.44 million hectares is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.45 million hectares, 3.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.29 million hectares | 5.86 million hectares | 6.65 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.77 million hectares | 5.48 million hectares | 6.03 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.64 million hectares | 5.50 million hectares | 5.80 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.51 million hectares | 5.43 million hectares | 5.63 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.55 million hectares | 5.35 million hectares | 5.68 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.73 million hectares | 5.70 million hectares | 5.73 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.55 million hectares | 5.44 million hectares | 5.73 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More environment data for Syria
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) -5.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.7246 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use in Syria?
- Land use in Syria was 5.44 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 Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 6.65 million hectares in 1964.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.35 million hectares in 2000.
- How does Syria rank for land use?
- Syria ranks 54th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Syria 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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