Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Zambia
Zambia: Area of permanent meadows and pastures was 20.00 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
20.00 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
37th
of 209 countries
All-time high
20.00 million hectares
in 2002
All-time low
16.75 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Zambia, 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 area of permanent meadows and pastures in Zambia is 20.00 million hectares, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, area of permanent meadows and pastures in Zambia peaked at 20.00 million hectares in 2002 and was at its lowest, 16.75 million hectares, in 1961.
That places Zambia 37th out of 209 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Zambia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 16.75 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 16.80 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 16.82 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 16.85 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 16.90 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 16.94 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 16.98 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 17.02 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 17.06 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 17.10 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 17.15 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 17.18 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 17.22 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 17.25 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 17.30 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 17.35 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 17.38 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 17.42 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 17.46 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 17.50 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 17.55 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 17.58 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 17.62 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 17.65 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 17.70 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 17.74 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 17.78 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 17.82 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 17.85 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 17.90 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 18.05 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 18.27 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 18.40 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 18.60 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 18.79 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 18.96 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 19.14 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 19.30 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 19.48 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 19.65 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 19.80 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 20.00 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 20.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 20.00 million hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.83 million hectares, 7.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 20.00 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.90 million hectares, 2.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.90 million hectares | 16.75 million hectares | 17.06 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 17.28 million hectares | 17.10 million hectares | 17.46 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.68 million hectares | 17.50 million hectares | 17.85 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.69 million hectares | 17.90 million hectares | 19.48 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.95 million hectares | 19.65 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.00 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.00 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 20.00 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 34 Kenya 21.30 million hectares compare
- 35 Uzbekistan 21.11 million hectares compare
- 36 Morocco 21.00 million hectares compare
- 37 Ethiopia 20.00 million hectares compare
- 39 Canada 18.56 million hectares compare
- 40 Democratic Republic of Congo 18.20 million hectares compare
- 40 Venezuela 18.20 million hectares compare
More reference data data for Zambia
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.0386 °C (2026)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.0941 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies -0.018 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.3261 °C (2026)
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Urban area long term, annual growth rate 3.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban area long term, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban area long term, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is area of permanent meadows and pastures in Zambia?
- Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Zambia was 20.00 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 area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 20.00 million hectares in 2002.
- What is the lowest area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.75 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Zambia rank for area of permanent meadows and pastures?
- Zambia ranks 37th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
- Is area of permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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 Area of permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This is the land used for livestock grazing. The total land use for livestock farming is higher as it additionally requires cropland used to grow animal feed.