Agricultural land use in Portugal
Portugal: Agricultural land use was 3.97 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.97 million hectares
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
97th
of 227 countries
All-time high
4.00 million hectares
in 1988
All-time low
3.58 million hectares
in 1997
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Agricultural land use in Portugal, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Portugal recorded 3.97 million hectares for agricultural land use in 2023.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land use in Portugal peaked at 4.00 million hectares in 1988 and was at its lowest, 3.58 million hectares, in 1997.
That places Portugal 97th out of 227 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land use in Portugal, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.88 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 3.88 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 3.89 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 3.89 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 3.90 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 3.90 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 3.91 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 3.91 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 3.92 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 3.93 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 3.94 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 3.94 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 3.95 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 3.95 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 3.96 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 3.96 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 3.97 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 3.97 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 3.98 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 3.98 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 3.98 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 3.98 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 3.99 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 3.99 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 3.99 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 4.00 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 4.00 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 4.00 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 4.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3.96 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 3.92 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 3.88 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 3.96 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 3.95 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 3.92 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 3.73 million hectares | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 3.58 million hectares | -4.0% |
| 1998 | 3.72 million hectares | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 3.86 million hectares | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 3.96 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 3.85 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 3.88 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 3.81 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 3.87 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 3.82 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 3.76 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 3.66 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 3.73 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 3.70 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 3.65 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 3.65 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 3.66 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 3.70 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 3.66 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 3.64 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 3.62 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 3.67 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 3.74 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 3.95 million hectares | +5.7% |
| 2020 | 3.95 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 3.96 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 3.92 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 3.97 million hectares | +1.3% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 3.97 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 982,000 hectares, 4.0× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 3.97 million hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.61 million hectares, 1.5× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.90 million hectares | 3.88 million hectares | 3.92 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.95 million hectares | 3.93 million hectares | 3.98 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.99 million hectares | 3.98 million hectares | 4.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.85 million hectares | 3.58 million hectares | 3.96 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.80 million hectares | 3.66 million hectares | 3.96 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.70 million hectares | 3.62 million hectares | 3.95 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.95 million hectares | 3.92 million hectares | 3.97 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More agriculture & rural data for Portugal
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0196 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 628.85 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5936 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.385 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.9% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land use in Portugal?
- Agricultural land use in Portugal was 3.97 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 agricultural land use recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 4.00 million hectares in 1988.
- What is the lowest agricultural land use recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.58 million hectares in 1997.
- How does Portugal rank for agricultural land use?
- Portugal ranks 97th out of 227 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land use rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal 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 Agricultural land use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Land used for cultivation of crops and animal husbandry. The total of areas under cropland and permanent meadows and pastures.