Data extracted in June 2025.
Planned article update: June 2029.
Highlights
In 2022, woodland accounted for more than two fifths (41.0%) of the EU’s total area.
In 2022, artificial land accounted for 4.4% of the EU’s total area; among the EU countries, shares ranged from 1.9% in Latvia up to 12.0% in Belgium, 13.0% in the Netherlands and 25.9% in Malta.
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Landscapes across the European Union (EU) range from sub-Arctic tundra environments in the far north to semi-arid conditions in some Mediterranean regions in the south, or from the lowlands and plains of northern continental Europe to relatively high mountain chains such as the Alps, Pyrenees or Carpathians.
Wooded areas have very different structural features in northern and southern countries. In the north, there tend to be larger forests of tall trees in dense stands, with little vegetation in the understory (plants growing beneath the forest canopy). In the south, trees aren’t generally so tall and tend to be less densely set, leading to a more developed canopy on each tree, but a lower total forest canopy cover and denser vegetation in the understory.
This article presents the latest statistical data available on land cover in the EU, in other words, the bio-physical coverage of land (for example, by crops, grass, forest, buildings, roads or lakes). The statistics presented form part of the data collection exercise for the Land Use and Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS), undertaken between March 2022 and July 2023. LUCAS is the largest harmonised land field survey implemented across the EU. A primary characteristic of European landscapes is the rapid changes that occur when moving within relatively small areas.
Note, there is a complementary article about land use statistics in the EU.
Land cover in the EU
In 2022, the total area of the EU was 4.13 million square kilometres (km²). Woodland covered by far the largest area – some 41.0% of the total (see Figure 1). Thereafter, cropland covered almost a quarter (22.5%) of the total area, followed by grassland with a 17.1% share. The remaining shares were considerably lower: shrubland covered 6.1% of the total, followed by artificial areas (4.4%) and bare land (4.2%), while the least common forms of cover were water areas (3.1%) and wetland (1.5%).
Between 2018 and 2022, the area of the EU covered by bare land increased by 72 500 km², equivalent to an overall rise of 71.9% (see Figure 2). This was the largest absolute increase in land cover (measured in square kilometres), with increases also recorded for the following categories
- shrubland – up 17 400 km²
- artificial land – up 6 100 km²
In relative terms across the EU, the area of bare land grew at the fastest pace between 2018 and 2022 (up 71.9%), followed by shrubland (up 7.4%) and artificial land (up 3.5%). The relatively fast increase in the area of bare land may reflect, among other factors, the abandonment of agricultural land due to droughts, wildfires or desertification, or temporarily bare land reflecting soil exposure during the development phase of large-scale construction and infrastructure projects.
Among the main land cover categories, cropland recorded the largest reduction in area between 2018 and 2022, declining by 72 300 km², equivalent to an overall fall of 7.2%. There were also reductions in the area covered by
- grassland – down 10 000 km² (-1.4%)
- wetland – down 7 800 km² (-10.9%)
- woodland – down 4 800 km² (-0.3%)
- water areas – down 1 100 km² (-0.8%)
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Land cover in EU countries
Table 1 presents the latest information available relating to land cover across EU countries in 2022.
Large forest areas are a typical landscape feature in northern Europe, as well as several mountainous areas of the EU
The industrial revolution marked the start of a prolonged period of deforestation across Europe, as forested areas were cleared for fuel, construction and agricultural expansion. However, in recent decades, both the EU as a whole and many individual EU countries have reversed this trend, reflecting their commitments to international climate goals.
As a result, the EU is 1 of the few regions in the world where forest cover is actually increasing. Extensive forested areas are a characteristic feature of the landscape in northern Europe, particularly in the far north, as well as in many of the EU’s mountainous regions.
In 2022, the share of woodland and shrubland was close to 70.0% of the total area in Finland (71.1%) and Sweden (69.5%). At least three fifths of the total area in Slovenia (63.7%), Croatia (60.5%) and Greece (60.0%) was also covered by woodland and shrubland. There were 4 additional EU countries where woodland and shrubland covered more than half of the total area – Estonia (58.4%), Latvia (55.7%), Portugal (53.1%) and Slovakia (50.2%) – and several others with shares just under half.
In absolute terms, the largest woodland and shrubland areas in 2022 were recorded in
- Sweden – 310 800 km²
- Spain – 247 300 km²
- Finland – 240 700 km²
- France – 200 600 km²
All western EU countries recorded woodland and shrubland shares below 50.0%. The lowest shares were observed in Ireland (24.8%), Denmark (22.0%) and the Netherlands (16.1%), where less than a quarter of the total area was covered by woodland and shrubland.
Cropland often predominates in areas characterised by fertile lands and a long-standing agricultural tradition
A broad range of cultivated plants are grown across the EU’s cropland, reflecting both heritable traits and plant breeders’ abilities to harness them in response to diverse topographic and climatic conditions, as well as to pests and diseases. Most EU regions with relatively high shares of cropland are characterised by fertile lands and a long-standing agricultural tradition.
In 2022, Denmark (44.8%) and Hungary (42.0%) had, by far, the highest proportions of their total area covered by cropland. More generally, cropland accounted for between 13.4% and 32.5% of the total area, with lower shares in Slovenia (9.4%), Ireland (5.1%), Finland (3.9%) and Sweden (3.8%).
In absolute terms, the largest areas of cropland in 2022 were in
- France – 150 000 km²
- Spain – 133 500 km²
- Poland – 101 300 km²
- Germany – 97 900 km²
Grasslands across the EU are generally concentrated in regions with less favourable conditions for growing crops or in areas where forests have been cleared. In 2022, Ireland was the only EU country where a majority (59.6%) of the total area was covered by grassland; the Netherlands had the next highest share (33.4%).
By contrast, regions with relatively harsh (rather than temperate) climatic conditions tend to be characterised by low shares of grassland, for example
- northern Europe – Finland (5.4%) and Sweden (5.8%) reported that grassland covered less than 10.0% of their total area
- southern Europe – such as Cyprus (9.5%), Greece (11.7%) and Spain (12.1%), as the climate in some regions may be too arid for natural grassland
In 2022, most EU countries were characterised by a relatively low proportion of their total area being covered by water, wetlands and/or bare land. Only 4 EU countries recorded double-digit shares for these types of land cover: Sweden (19.1%), Finland (17.4%), the Netherlands (15.8%) and Estonia (10.1%).
There are several hundred thousand natural lakes across Finland and Sweden, the vast majority formed as a result of glacial retreat. By contrast, much of the water-covered area in the Netherlands is man-made, shaped by the construction of dikes, which have created extensive inland waterways and lakes such as the Ijsselmeer and Markermeer.
Expansion of artificial land cover in densely populated EU regions
Artificial land cover is used for settlements, infrastructure and production systems. As land is a finite resource, increasing demand for living space, expanding levels of economic activity and rising mobility have, in some cases, led to the depletion of natural resources and environmental degradation.
The highest shares of artificial land cover are, unsurprisingly, found in some of the most densely populated EU countries: Malta, the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2022, artificial land accounted for approximately a quarter (25.9%) of Malta’s total area – considerably above the next highest shares which were recorded in the Netherlands (13.0%) and Belgium (12.0%).
At the other end of the range, artificial land cover accounted for no more than 2.4% of the total area in Bulgaria, the Baltic countries, Finland and Sweden; the lowest shares were recorded in Latvia, Estonia and Sweden (all 1.9%).
Map 1 shows the principal land cover for each EU country, based on the highest share of the total area among 6 land cover categories.
- woodland accounted for an absolute majority – more than 50.0% – of the total area in Finland, Sweden, Slovenia, Estonia and Latvia
- woodland was also the principal land cover in Croatia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Austria, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Czechia, Poland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Germany and France, although its share was less than 50.0% (but remained higher than for any other category)
- cropland was the principal land cover in Denmark, Hungary and Cyprus (with shares less than 50.0% of the total area)
- grassland was the principal land cover in Ireland (with an absolute majority of the total area) and in the Netherlands and Belgium (with shares less than 50.0%)
- Malta was atypical, with artificial land as its principal land cover, accounting for more than a quarter of its total area
Focus on artificial land cover
In recent years, the expansion of artificial land cover has been one of the principal trends in EU land cover developments. This section explores the phenomenon in more detail, with data on artificial land cover split into built-up areas (buildings) and non-built-up areas (such as linear transport networks and related infrastructure). Note that there is also a small residual category – other artificial areas – which typically includes areas used for waste disposal, abandoned sites, or sports and leisure facilities.
Land cover/use data from LUCAS can be used to monitor the increase in settlement area per inhabitant. This indicator reflects land take for buildings, industrial and commercial zones, infrastructure and recreational facilities. It includes both sealed and non-sealed surfaces and is part of the sustainable development indicators (SDIs) for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In 2022, artificial land accounted for 4.4% of the EU’s total area. These areas dominate the landscapes of cities and towns. As a result, countries with higher population density tend to report relatively high shares of artificial land cover – this was particularly the case in Malta (not shown, as it’s an outlier), the Benelux countries and Germany (see Figure 3).
By contrast, artificial land covered a much smaller share of the total areas in peripheral regions of the EU, which are often predominantly rural and sparsely populated. This was the case, for example, in northern Finland and Sweden, the Baltic countries, as well as several regions in eastern EU countries.
Source: Eurostat (lan_lcv_ovw) and (demo_r_d3dens)
In 2022, Malta was the only EU country where the proportion of land covered by built-up artificial areas (14.6%) exceeded that of non-built-up artificial areas (11.4%), reflecting, at least in part, its relatively high population density. The 14.6% share of built-up artificial areas in Malta was 2.8 times as high as in Belgium (5.2%) and 3.5 times as high as in the Netherlands (4.2%), which had the 2nd and 3rd highest shares among EU countries.
Malta also recorded the highest share of non-built-up artificial areas, with 11.4% of its total area in 2022. The Benelux countries had relatively high shares: 8.3% in the Netherlands, 6.7% in Belgium and 5.9% in Luxembourg; Cyprus also had a high share (6.3%).
In every EU country except Malta, the proportion of land covered by non-built-up areas exceeded that of built-up areas. In Lithuania, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Sweden, Latvia, Finland and Estonia, non-built up areas accounted for at least 3 times the area covered by built-up areas (see Figure 4).
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Source data for tables and graphs
Data sources
Eurostat’s Land Use and Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS) is a field survey that follows an area-frame sampling scheme. The survey is conducted through direct observations made in situ by trained land surveyors. When a location is impractical or inaccessible (such as in urban or mountainous areas), high-resolution aerial imagery is used as an alternative. LUCAS collects data for land cover and land use that are based on consistent definitions and methodology. The survey also provides territorial information facilitating the analysis of the interaction between agriculture and the environment. Furthermore, it may be used as a vehicle for other data collection exercises. For example, recent surveys have taken soil samples from approximately 10% of the points visited.
LUCAS 2022 was conducted from March 2022 to August 2023. Data on land cover and land use were collected for approximately 200 000 field points and for 200 000 photo-interpreted points; these points were selected from a standard 2 km grid covering a total of more than 1 million points all over the EU. The land cover and the visible land use data were classified according to the harmonised LUCAS land cover and land use classification, while information was also collected on irrigation management and structural elements in the landscape. Furthermore, at approximately 10% of the selected field points a topsoil sample was taken to help assess environmental factors, update soil maps, validate soil models and measure the quantity of organic carbon in the soil.
The LUCAS microdata for 2022 may be accessed directly on Eurostat’s website.
More detailed background information on the LUCAS survey can be found in this article.
The previous LUCAS data collections were conducted in 2015 and 2018. The date for the next LUCAS survey is, at the time of writing, not yet finalised.
Context
Most changes to landscapes aren’t visible on a day-to-day basis and the natural features that form landscapes (for example, valleys, plateaus and plains) are, by and large, the result of geographical processes that have taken place over a very long period of time. Alongside these natural processes, human intervention has increasingly left an imprint on the environments in which we live and work. Land has become a natural and economic resource used for multiple purposes
- woodland
- cropland, grassland and shrubland
- water areas and wetlands
- built-up areas
- other artificial land
- bare land
Land is also an integral part of ecosystems and indispensable for biodiversity and the carbon cycle.
Land cover data are important for an understanding of how environmental systems function, and their assessment over time provides a means for evaluating the impact that any changes in land cover may have on biodiversity and ecosystems. As such, harmonised and reliable statistics from LUCAS provide a crucial source of information for monitoring a wide range of policy areas.
Historically (over the last few decades), land cover change across the EU may be broadly characterised in terms of
- a modest increase in woodland
- a slow increase in cropland cover that has implications for soil erosion and soil degradation
- a decline in grassland and shrubland cover
- an increase in artificial land cover, linked to (sub)urban sprawl arising from demographic and economic growth
- the continued development of infrastructure, such as new roads, railways and other manifestations of economic growth, which may lead to increasingly fragmented habitats, potentially impacting upon local ecosystems and biodiversity
Explore further
Other articles
Database
- Land cover overview by NUTS 2 region (lan_lcv_ovw)
- Land covered by artificial surfaces by NUTS 2 region (lan_lcv_art)
- Land covered by artificial surfaces - index (lan_lcv_arti)
- Land cover for FAO forest categories by NUTS 2 region (lan_lcv_fao)
- Settlement area (lan_settl)
Thematic section
Publications
Methodology
External links
- European Commission – Copernicus Land Monitoring Service – CORINE land cover data
- European Commission – Directorate-General for the Environment
- European Commission – INSPIRE – Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe
- European Commission – Joint Research Centre – European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC)
- European Environment Agency – Land use