What is the difference in arable and permanent cropland between Africa and Ethiopia?

241.59 million hectares, with Africa ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Africa and Ethiopia?

51 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2011.

Where does this data come from?

Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as Arable and permanent cropland (hectares). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Africa vs Ethiopia: Arable and permanent cropland

Africa

257.28 million hectares

in 2011

Ethiopia

15.68 million hectares

in 2011

Africa rank

1st

Ethiopia rank

3rd

Arable and permanent cropland over time

Africa
Ethiopia

How they compare

Africa currently reports 257.28 million hectares against 15.68 million hectares in Ethiopia, a difference of 241.59 million hectares.

That makes Africa's figure about 16.4 times Ethiopia's.

Across all 51 years both countries report, Africa has been ahead every year.

Africa ranks 1st and Ethiopia ranks 3rd of 6 groups.

Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Africa	Ethiopia	Difference	Ahead
1960s	174.70 million hectares	12.43 million hectares	162.27 million hectares	Africa
1970s	186.18 million hectares	13.68 million hectares	172.51 million hectares	Africa
1980s	195.30 million hectares	12.65 million hectares	182.65 million hectares	Africa
1990s	213.63 million hectares	10.77 million hectares	202.86 million hectares	Africa
2000s	237.96 million hectares	12.62 million hectares	225.35 million hectares	Africa
2010s	256.83 million hectares	15.33 million hectares	241.50 million hectares	Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher arable and permanent cropland, Africa or Ethiopia?: Africa, at 257.28 million hectares against 15.68 million hectares in Ethiopia as of 2011.
What is the difference in arable and permanent cropland between Africa and Ethiopia?: 241.59 million hectares, with Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Africa and Ethiopia?: 51 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2011.
How do Africa and Ethiopia rank globally for arable and permanent cropland?: Africa ranks 1st and Ethiopia ranks 3rd of 6 groups.
Where does this data come from?: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as Arable and permanent cropland (hectares). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Africa vs Ethiopia: Arable and permanent cropland. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/compare/arable-and-permanent-cropland-hectares/africa/ethiopia/

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About this data

Indicator: Arable and permanent cropland (hectares)
Unit: hectares
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 58 places, 2,926 data points, 1961–2011
Last refreshed: 21 August 2026

This land category is the sum of areas under “Arable land” and "Permanent crops”. 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