Iraq vs Syria: Cropland extent over the long-term
Iraq
5.54 million hectares
in 2025
Syria
5.28 million hectares
in 2025
Iraq rank
52nd
Syria rank
54th
Cropland extent over the long-term over time
- Iraq
- Syria
How they compare
Iraq currently reports 5.54 million hectares against 5.28 million hectares in Syria, a difference of 252,450 hectares.
The two have swapped places 8 times across 108 shared years of data; in 1000 it was Iraq ahead.
Iraq ranks 52nd and Syria ranks 54th of 202 countries.
Across the 40 decades both report, Iraq averaged higher in 3 and Syria in 37.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iraq | Syria | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 2.10 million hectares | 1.68 million hectares | 427,230 hectares | Iraq |
| 1100s | 1.80 million hectares | 1.76 million hectares | 46,040 hectares | Iraq |
| 1200s | 1.38 million hectares | 1.83 million hectares | 449,560 hectares | Syria |
| 1300s | 981,281 hectares | 1.91 million hectares | 926,529 hectares | Syria |
| 1400s | 954,332 hectares | 1.51 million hectares | 559,688 hectares | Syria |
| 1500s | 924,974 hectares | 1.60 million hectares | 679,126 hectares | Syria |
| 1600s | 1.12 million hectares | 1.85 million hectares | 731,920 hectares | Syria |
| 1700s | 855,503 hectares | 1.83 million hectares | 976,297 hectares | Syria |
| 1710s | 851,628 hectares | 1.84 million hectares | 987,832 hectares | Syria |
| 1720s | 847,680 hectares | 1.85 million hectares | 999,340 hectares | Syria |
| 1730s | 843,656 hectares | 1.85 million hectares | 1.01 million hectares | Syria |
| 1740s | 839,549 hectares | 1.86 million hectares | 1.02 million hectares | Syria |
| 1750s | 835,357 hectares | 1.87 million hectares | 1.03 million hectares | Syria |
| 1760s | 831,073 hectares | 1.88 million hectares | 1.05 million hectares | Syria |
| 1770s | 826,690 hectares | 1.88 million hectares | 1.06 million hectares | Syria |
| 1780s | 822,202 hectares | 1.89 million hectares | 1.07 million hectares | Syria |
| 1790s | 817,600 hectares | 1.90 million hectares | 1.08 million hectares | Syria |
| 1800s | 812,876 hectares | 1.90 million hectares | 1.09 million hectares | Syria |
| 1810s | 850,402 hectares | 1.91 million hectares | 1.06 million hectares | Syria |
| 1820s | 889,467 hectares | 1.92 million hectares | 1.03 million hectares | Syria |
| 1830s | 930,104 hectares | 1.99 million hectares | 1.06 million hectares | Syria |
| 1840s | 972,338 hectares | 2.05 million hectares | 1.08 million hectares | Syria |
| 1850s | 1.02 million hectares | 2.11 million hectares | 1.10 million hectares | Syria |
| 1860s | 1.06 million hectares | 2.17 million hectares | 1.11 million hectares | Syria |
| 1870s | 1.20 million hectares | 2.24 million hectares | 1.03 million hectares | Syria |
| 1880s | 1.36 million hectares | 2.52 million hectares | 1.15 million hectares | Syria |
| 1890s | 1.55 million hectares | 2.80 million hectares | 1.25 million hectares | Syria |
| 1900s | 1.75 million hectares | 2.74 million hectares | 987,740 hectares | Syria |
| 1910s | 1.98 million hectares | 2.68 million hectares | 699,670 hectares | Syria |
| 1920s | 2.17 million hectares | 2.62 million hectares | 445,610 hectares | Syria |
| 1930s | 2.20 million hectares | 2.56 million hectares | 355,100 hectares | Syria |
| 1940s | 3.20 million hectares | 4.00 million hectares | 795,850 hectares | Syria |
| 1950s | 4.31 million hectares | 5.29 million hectares | 982,949 hectares | Syria |
| 1960s | 4.86 million hectares | 6.28 million hectares | 1.43 million hectares | Syria |
| 1970s | 5.23 million hectares | 5.77 million hectares | 536,900 hectares | Syria |
| 1980s | 5.44 million hectares | 5.64 million hectares | 197,700 hectares | Syria |
| 1990s | 5.16 million hectares | 5.51 million hectares | 350,800 hectares | Syria |
| 2000s | 4.61 million hectares | 5.55 million hectares | 941,900 hectares | Syria |
| 2010s | 5.01 million hectares | 5.73 million hectares | 714,227 hectares | Syria |
| 2020s | 5.47 million hectares | 5.47 million hectares | 1,967 hectares | Iraq |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher cropland extent over the long-term, Iraq or Syria?
- Iraq, at 5.54 million hectares against 5.28 million hectares in Syria as of 2025.
- What is the difference in cropland extent over the long-term between Iraq and Syria?
- 252,450 hectares, with Iraq ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iraq and Syria?
- 108 years are reported by both, from 1000 to 2025.
- How do Iraq and Syria rank globally for cropland extent over the long-term?
- Iraq ranks 52nd and Syria ranks 54th of 202 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- HYDE (2025) β with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Cropland extent over the long-term. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Total cropland area for each separate country over time.