China vs United States of America: Agricultural land
Agricultural land over time
- China
- United States of America
How they compare
China currently reports 5.20 million sq. km against 4.22 million sq. km in United States of America, a difference of 988,730 sq. km.
That makes China's figure about 1.2 times United States of America's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 63 shared years of data; in 1961 it was United States of America ahead.
China ranks 1st and United States of America ranks 2nd of 210 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, China averaged higher in 5 and United States of America in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United States of America | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.55 million sq. km | 4.39 million sq. km | 837,474 sq. km | United States of America |
| 1970s | 3.98 million sq. km | 4.32 million sq. km | 336,006 sq. km | United States of America |
| 1980s | 4.66 million sq. km | 4.29 million sq. km | 365,760 sq. km | China |
| 1990s | 5.19 million sq. km | 4.20 million sq. km | 983,548 sq. km | China |
| 2000s | 5.26 million sq. km | 4.14 million sq. km | 1.12 million sq. km | China |
| 2010s | 5.24 million sq. km | 4.24 million sq. km | 999,206 sq. km | China |
| 2020s | 5.20 million sq. km | 4.22 million sq. km | 980,880 sq. km | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher agricultural land, China or United States of America?
- China, at 5.20 million sq. km against 4.22 million sq. km in United States of America as of 2023.
- What is the difference in agricultural land between China and United States of America?
- 988,730 sq. km, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States of America?
- 63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
- How do China and United States of America rank globally for agricultural land?
- China ranks 1st and United States of America ranks 2nd of 210 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as Agricultural land (sq. km). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Agricultural land refers to the land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.