Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade in Malta
Malta: Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade was -19.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade in Malta, 1971–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade in Malta stood at -19.0%.
That represents a change of down 26.0% on the previous year and down 1,059.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade in Malta peaked at 14.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, -30.8%, in 1998.
Malta ranks 217th of 225 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade in Malta, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | -22.2% | — |
| 1972 | -17.6% | -20.6% |
| 1973 | -12.5% | -29.2% |
| 1974 | -6.7% | -46.7% |
| 1975 | -7.1% | +7.1% |
| 1976 | -7.1% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1978 | 0.0% | — |
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | -7.1% | — |
| 1981 | -7.1% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -7.1% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -7.1% | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -7.1% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | — |
| 1987 | -7.1% | — |
| 1988 | -7.1% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -7.1% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | — |
| 1992 | 0.0% | — |
| 1993 | 0.0% | — |
| 1994 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | -15.4% | — |
| 1996 | -15.4% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -23.1% | +50.0% |
| 1998 | -30.8% | +33.3% |
| 1999 | -30.8% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -30.8% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -23.1% | -25.0% |
| 2002 | -23.1% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -20.0% | -13.3% |
| 2004 | -23.1% | +15.4% |
| 2005 | -15.5% | -33.0% |
| 2006 | -15.5% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -7.0% | -54.7% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | -147.6% |
| 2009 | 3.3% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 14.8% | +343.3% |
| 2011 | 3.3% | -77.7% |
| 2012 | 3.0% | -9.1% |
| 2013 | -1.6% | -154.5% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -240.7% |
| 2015 | 10.0% | +334.8% |
| 2016 | 11.6% | +16.1% |
| 2017 | 11.6% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 11.6% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 11.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | -11.8% | -201.7% |
| 2021 | -15.3% | +29.5% |
| 2022 | -15.0% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | -19.0% | +26.0% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's -19.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is -0.5%, 36.4× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Malta's -19.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -0.0%, 434.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade in Malta changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +343.3% | 3.3% | 14.8% |
| 2015 | +334.8% | 2.3% | 10.0% |
| 2014 | +240.7% | -1.6% | 2.3% |
| 2020 | -201.7% | 11.6% | -11.8% |
| 2013 | -154.5% | 3.0% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | +147.6% | -7.0% | 3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -8.1% | -22.2% | 0.0% | 9 |
| 1980s | -5.7% | -7.1% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | -11.5% | -30.8% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | -15.1% | -30.8% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.8% | -1.6% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -15.3% | -19.0% | -11.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More agriculture & rural data for Malta
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0047 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 224.75 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.0432 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.2% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade in Malta?
- Is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade in Malta was -19.0% 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 is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade recorded in Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 14.8% in 2010.
- What is the lowest is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was -30.8% in 1998.
- How does Malta rank for is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade?
- Malta ranks 217th out of 225 countries with data for 2023.
- Is is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1,059.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malta 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 Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage change in surface area devoted to agriculture with respect to 10 years before. Negative values imply that surface area has decreased with respect to the previous decade. This data is used to assess which countries may have already peaked in their agricultural land use.