Malawi vs Zambia: Arable land

Malawi
4.00 million hectares
in 2023
Zambia
3.80 million hectares
in 2023
Malawi rank
59th
Zambia rank
62nd

Arable land over time

  • Malawi
  • Zambia
1.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M196119922023

How they compare

Malawi currently reports 4.00 million hectares against 3.80 million hectares in Zambia, a difference of 200,000 hectares.

That makes Malawi's figure about 1.1 times Zambia's.

The two have swapped places 7 times across 63 shared years of data; in 1961 it was Zambia ahead.

Malawi ranks 59th and Zambia ranks 62nd of 206 countries.

Across the 7 decades both report, Malawi averaged higher in 2 and Zambia in 5.

Head to head by decade

Decade Malawi Zambia Difference Ahead
1960s 1.61 million hectares 2.63 million hectares 1.02 million hectares Zambia
1970s 2.00 million hectares 2.81 million hectares 819,600 hectares Zambia
1980s 2.08 million hectares 2.59 million hectares 514,200 hectares Zambia
1990s 2.38 million hectares 2.83 million hectares 452,500 hectares Zambia
2000s 3.12 million hectares 2.92 million hectares 202,500 hectares Malawi
2010s 3.65 million hectares 3.70 million hectares 51,800 hectares Zambia
2020s 3.98 million hectares 3.80 million hectares 183,500 hectares Malawi

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher arable land, Malawi or Zambia?
Malawi, at 4.00 million hectares against 3.80 million hectares in Zambia as of 2023.
What is the difference in arable land between Malawi and Zambia?
200,000 hectares, with Malawi ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malawi and Zambia?
63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
How do Malawi and Zambia rank globally for arable land?
Malawi ranks 59th and Zambia ranks 62nd of 206 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 Arable land (hectares). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Malawi vs Zambia: Arable land. Statizoid, drawing on 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). Retrieved 18 August 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/compare/arable-land-hectares/malawi/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
Arable land (hectares)
Unit
hectares
Source
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)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
206 places, 11,871 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

Arable land (in hectares) 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.