Land use and structure categories	Areas in hectares		Changes in
	1979/1985	1992/1997	ha	%
Artificial surfaces
Building areas	118,105	137,558	19,453	16.5
Industry, commerce, infrastructure	99,759	111,879	12,120	12.1
Mines, dumps, construction sites	14,962	13,793	-1,169	-7.8
Recreational areas and green spaces	13,578	15,'860	2,282	16.8
Total of artificial areas	246,404	279,090	32,686	13.3
Agricultural area
Arable land and permanent grassland	946,696	926,367	-20,329	-2.1
Permanent crops	70,939	60,954	-9,985	-14.1
Field coppices and hedges	35,921	35,807	-114	-0.3
Total of agricultural areas	1,053,556	1,023,128	-30,428	-2.9
Forests and semi-natural areas
Forests	1,007,907	1,025,223	17,316	1.7
Shrub and herbaceous vegetation, semi-wooded land	769,911	756,429	-13,482	-1.8
Groups of trees and semi-wooded agricultural land, cultivated areas	64,561	62,265	-2,296	-3.6
Open spaces	803,671	799,405	-4,266	-0.5
Total of forests and semi-natural areas	2,646,050	2,643,322	-2,728	-0.1
Wetlands
Inland wetlands	8,621	8,967	346	4.0
Water bodies
Inland water bodies	173,845	173,969	124	0.1
Total expanse of Switzerland	4,128,476	4,128,476

Interpretation example
According to area statistics for the period 1979 to 1985, the built-up zones of Switzerland covered 118,105 hectares. This figure had risen by 16.5% by the time of the second survey (1992 to 1997). The entire built-up area grew by 13.3% over the same period.

Comments
• The appendix shows how the area-statistics categories are assigned to each of 13 types of land use.
• The data record does not allow for any distinction between farmland and land left to pasture in the long term. In the case of long-term pasture land, Alpine farming areas are not included; these are assigned to the category denominated “shrub and foliage vegetation, cleared woodland”. Farmland in Switzerland covered an area of 404,604 hectares in 1985. This area had grown by 3.9% by 1996. By 2002, the amount of land being farmed was less than it had been in 1996.
• Almost two thirds of land surface consists of woodland and areas largely left to nature.
• Built-up areas have grown by about 13%.
• The area dedicated to fruit farms, vineyards and market gardens of long standing has shrunk by over 14%, due above all to the loss of mature fruit trees.
• While marginal areas of scrub and brush land are shrinking, those of thick woodland are growing.

Additional source of information
> Website of the Federal Statistical Office
> Arealstatistik Schweiz (not available in English)
> Land Use Statistics/BDM assignment table: Complete data sheet E2 (Appendix, p.15)

The next update will be made after finalization of the third Swiss Land Use Statistics, with surveys scheduled for the period of 2004 to 2009.

This information is based on the document 800 317.10 Produkt E2 V5_en.doc dated November 06, 2009.