South Africa vs Tanzania: Cropland extent over the long-term
South Africa
12.41 million hectares
in 2025
Tanzania
15.92 million hectares
in 2025
South Africa rank
27th
Tanzania rank
24th
Cropland extent over the long-term over time
- South Africa
- Tanzania
How they compare
Tanzania currently reports 15.92 million hectares against 12.41 million hectares in South Africa, a difference of 3.51 million hectares.
That makes Tanzania's figure about 1.3 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 108 shared years of data; in 1000 it was Tanzania ahead.
South Africa ranks 27th and Tanzania ranks 24th of 202 countries.
Across the 40 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 10 and Tanzania in 30.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Tanzania | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 11,990 hectares | 453,040 hectares | 441,050 hectares | Tanzania |
| 1100s | 17,985 hectares | 722,033 hectares | 704,048 hectares | Tanzania |
| 1200s | 26,228 hectares | 991,025 hectares | 964,797 hectares | Tanzania |
| 1300s | 37,469 hectares | 1.26 million hectares | 1.22 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1400s | 52,690 hectares | 1.53 million hectares | 1.48 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1500s | 73,181 hectares | 991,025 hectares | 917,844 hectares | Tanzania |
| 1600s | 106,722 hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 1.10 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1700s | 190,575 hectares | 1.42 million hectares | 1.23 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1710s | 233,719 hectares | 1.53 million hectares | 1.29 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1720s | 286,523 hectares | 1.64 million hectares | 1.35 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1730s | 351,122 hectares | 1.75 million hectares | 1.40 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1740s | 430,113 hectares | 1.86 million hectares | 1.43 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1750s | 526,653 hectares | 1.98 million hectares | 1.45 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1760s | 515,666 hectares | 2.09 million hectares | 1.57 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1770s | 504,679 hectares | 2.20 million hectares | 1.70 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1780s | 493,691 hectares | 2.31 million hectares | 1.82 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1790s | 482,704 hectares | 2.42 million hectares | 1.94 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1800s | 471,717 hectares | 2.54 million hectares | 2.06 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1810s | 460,729 hectares | 2.65 million hectares | 2.19 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1820s | 449,742 hectares | 2.76 million hectares | 2.31 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1830s | 438,754 hectares | 2.87 million hectares | 2.43 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1840s | 427,767 hectares | 2.98 million hectares | 2.56 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1850s | 503,525 hectares | 3.10 million hectares | 2.59 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1860s | 620,789 hectares | 3.07 million hectares | 2.44 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1870s | 823,404 hectares | 3.03 million hectares | 2.21 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1880s | 1.63 million hectares | 3.00 million hectares | 1.38 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1890s | 2.00 million hectares | 3.07 million hectares | 1.06 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 1900s | 2.79 million hectares | 2.83 million hectares | 38,640 hectares | Tanzania |
| 1910s | 3.74 million hectares | 2.72 million hectares | 1.03 million hectares | South Africa |
| 1920s | 4.63 million hectares | 2.72 million hectares | 1.91 million hectares | South Africa |
| 1930s | 5.77 million hectares | 3.15 million hectares | 2.61 million hectares | South Africa |
| 1940s | 6.99 million hectares | 3.62 million hectares | 3.37 million hectares | South Africa |
| 1950s | 10.36 million hectares | 4.90 million hectares | 5.46 million hectares | South Africa |
| 1960s | 12.31 million hectares | 6.67 million hectares | 5.64 million hectares | South Africa |
| 1970s | 12.56 million hectares | 8.20 million hectares | 4.36 million hectares | South Africa |
| 1980s | 12.75 million hectares | 9.50 million hectares | 3.25 million hectares | South Africa |
| 1990s | 13.73 million hectares | 9.95 million hectares | 3.78 million hectares | South Africa |
| 2000s | 13.58 million hectares | 11.31 million hectares | 2.27 million hectares | South Africa |
| 2010s | 12.47 million hectares | 14.35 million hectares | 1.88 million hectares | Tanzania |
| 2020s | 12.41 million hectares | 15.67 million hectares | 3.26 million hectares | Tanzania |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher cropland extent over the long-term, South Africa or Tanzania?
- Tanzania, at 15.92 million hectares against 12.41 million hectares in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in cropland extent over the long-term between South Africa and Tanzania?
- 3.51 million hectares, with Tanzania ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Tanzania?
- 108 years are reported by both, from 1000 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and Tanzania rank globally for cropland extent over the long-term?
- South Africa ranks 27th and Tanzania ranks 24th 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.