China vs OECD (FAO): Cropland area
China
127.58 million hectares
in 2023
OECD (FAO)
382.61 million hectares
in 2023
China rank
4th
OECD (FAO) rank
1st
Cropland area over time
- China
- OECD (FAO)
How they compare
OECD (FAO) currently reports 382.61 million hectares against 127.58 million hectares in China, a difference of 255.03 million hectares.
That makes OECD (FAO)'s figure about 3.0 times China's.
Across all 63 years both countries report, OECD (FAO) has been ahead every year.
China ranks 4th and OECD (FAO) ranks 1st of 224 countries.
OECD (FAO) has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | OECD (FAO) | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 103.36 million hectares | 415.13 million hectares | 311.78 million hectares | OECD (FAO) |
| 1970s | 100.28 million hectares | 417.57 million hectares | 317.28 million hectares | OECD (FAO) |
| 1980s | 116.95 million hectares | 421.80 million hectares | 304.85 million hectares | OECD (FAO) |
| 1990s | 130.45 million hectares | 418.88 million hectares | 288.42 million hectares | OECD (FAO) |
| 2000s | 132.71 million hectares | 403.94 million hectares | 271.22 million hectares | OECD (FAO) |
| 2010s | 131.25 million hectares | 388.79 million hectares | 257.54 million hectares | OECD (FAO) |
| 2020s | 127.63 million hectares | 384.13 million hectares | 256.50 million hectares | OECD (FAO) |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher cropland area, China or OECD (FAO)?
- OECD (FAO), at 382.61 million hectares against 127.58 million hectares in China as of 2023.
- What is the difference in cropland area between China and OECD (FAO)?
- 255.03 million hectares, with OECD (FAO) ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and OECD (FAO)?
- 63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
- How do China and OECD (FAO) rank globally for cropland area?
- China ranks 4th and OECD (FAO) ranks 1st of 224 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Cropland area. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.