Brazil vs China: Cropland extent over the long-term
Brazil
62.09 million hectares
in 2025
China
133.72 million hectares
in 2025
Brazil rank
5th
China rank
3rd
Cropland extent over the long-term over time
- Brazil
- China
How they compare
China currently reports 133.72 million hectares against 62.09 million hectares in Brazil, a difference of 71.63 million hectares.
That makes China's figure about 2.2 times Brazil's.
Across all 108 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
Brazil ranks 5th and China ranks 3rd of 202 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 40 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Brazil | China | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 293,810 hectares | 20.62 million hectares | 20.32 million hectares | China |
| 1100s | 427,758 hectares | 49.27 million hectares | 48.84 million hectares | China |
| 1200s | 608,361 hectares | 55.15 million hectares | 54.54 million hectares | China |
| 1300s | 990,410 hectares | 42.35 million hectares | 41.36 million hectares | China |
| 1400s | 1.72 million hectares | 37.27 million hectares | 35.55 million hectares | China |
| 1500s | 2.12 million hectares | 46.63 million hectares | 44.51 million hectares | China |
| 1600s | 98,258 hectares | 48.81 million hectares | 48.71 million hectares | China |
| 1700s | 79,843 hectares | 50.84 million hectares | 50.76 million hectares | China |
| 1710s | 87,544 hectares | 53.08 million hectares | 52.99 million hectares | China |
| 1720s | 96,162 hectares | 55.54 million hectares | 55.44 million hectares | China |
| 1730s | 105,842 hectares | 56.67 million hectares | 56.57 million hectares | China |
| 1740s | 116,763 hectares | 57.21 million hectares | 57.09 million hectares | China |
| 1750s | 129,135 hectares | 58.15 million hectares | 58.02 million hectares | China |
| 1760s | 143,217 hectares | 58.78 million hectares | 58.63 million hectares | China |
| 1770s | 159,334 hectares | 59.53 million hectares | 59.37 million hectares | China |
| 1780s | 177,850 hectares | 61.04 million hectares | 60.87 million hectares | China |
| 1790s | 199,242 hectares | 62.90 million hectares | 62.71 million hectares | China |
| 1800s | 224,084 hectares | 64.70 million hectares | 64.47 million hectares | China |
| 1810s | 261,131 hectares | 67.45 million hectares | 67.19 million hectares | China |
| 1820s | 310,731 hectares | 70.57 million hectares | 70.26 million hectares | China |
| 1830s | 420,560 hectares | 71.64 million hectares | 71.22 million hectares | China |
| 1840s | 531,485 hectares | 72.10 million hectares | 71.56 million hectares | China |
| 1850s | 643,707 hectares | 72.53 million hectares | 71.89 million hectares | China |
| 1860s | 757,432 hectares | 72.79 million hectares | 72.03 million hectares | China |
| 1870s | 872,945 hectares | 72.57 million hectares | 71.70 million hectares | China |
| 1880s | 1.10 million hectares | 72.90 million hectares | 71.81 million hectares | China |
| 1890s | 1.41 million hectares | 74.86 million hectares | 73.45 million hectares | China |
| 1900s | 1.78 million hectares | 76.92 million hectares | 75.13 million hectares | China |
| 1910s | 2.38 million hectares | 81.20 million hectares | 78.82 million hectares | China |
| 1920s | 3.36 million hectares | 85.49 million hectares | 82.14 million hectares | China |
| 1930s | 4.62 million hectares | 89.78 million hectares | 85.16 million hectares | China |
| 1940s | 5.09 million hectares | 98.62 million hectares | 93.52 million hectares | China |
| 1950s | 8.19 million hectares | 119.00 million hectares | 110.81 million hectares | China |
| 1960s | 11.62 million hectares | 121.25 million hectares | 109.63 million hectares | China |
| 1970s | 15.03 million hectares | 138.15 million hectares | 123.11 million hectares | China |
| 1980s | 19.07 million hectares | 144.77 million hectares | 125.70 million hectares | China |
| 1990s | 29.29 million hectares | 141.85 million hectares | 112.56 million hectares | China |
| 2000s | 39.78 million hectares | 135.28 million hectares | 95.50 million hectares | China |
| 2010s | 54.13 million hectares | 133.37 million hectares | 79.25 million hectares | China |
| 2020s | 61.12 million hectares | 133.62 million hectares | 72.50 million hectares | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher cropland extent over the long-term, Brazil or China?
- China, at 133.72 million hectares against 62.09 million hectares in Brazil as of 2025.
- What is the difference in cropland extent over the long-term between Brazil and China?
- 71.63 million hectares, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Brazil and China?
- 108 years are reported by both, from 1000 to 2025.
- How do Brazil and China rank globally for cropland extent over the long-term?
- Brazil ranks 5th and China ranks 3rd of 202 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- HYDE (2025) β with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Cropland extent over the long-term. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Total cropland area for each separate country over time.