Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita was 1.49 hectares per person in 2025. ▼ Falling
Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per person.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.49 hectares per person for agricultural area over the long-term, per capita in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural area over the long-term, per capita in South Africa peaked at 5.99 hectares per person in 1961 and was at its lowest, 1.49 hectares per person, in 2025.
South Africa ranks 24th of 189 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | hectares per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.98 hectares per person | — |
| 1961 | 5.99 hectares per person | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 5.75 hectares per person | -4.1% |
| 1963 | 5.51 hectares per person | -4.1% |
| 1964 | 5.28 hectares per person | -4.2% |
| 1965 | 5.06 hectares per person | -4.2% |
| 1966 | 4.9 hectares per person | -3.2% |
| 1967 | 4.73 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1968 | 4.58 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1969 | 4.43 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1970 | 4.28 hectares per person | -3.2% |
| 1971 | 4.15 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1972 | 4.02 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1973 | 3.9 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1974 | 3.78 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1975 | 3.67 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 3.56 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1977 | 3.47 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 3.38 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 3.28 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 3.19 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 3.08 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 2.97 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 2.87 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1984 | 2.77 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 2.68 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 2.61 hectares per person | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 2.54 hectares per person | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 2.47 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1989 | 2.4 hectares per person | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 2.35 hectares per person | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 2.3 hectares per person | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 2.27 hectares per person | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 2.24 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 2.21 hectares per person | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 2.19 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 2.17 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 2.14 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 2.12 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 2.1 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 2.08 hectares per person | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 2.06 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 2.04 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 2.02 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 1.99 hectares per person | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 1.97 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 1.94 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 1.92 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 1.9 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 1.87 hectares per person | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 1.85 hectares per person | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 1.82 hectares per person | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 1.79 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 1.76 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 1.73 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 1.7 hectares per person | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 1.68 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 1.67 hectares per person | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.64 hectares per person | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 1.62 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 1.59 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 1.57 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 1.54 hectares per person | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 1.52 hectares per person | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 1.51 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 1.49 hectares per person | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.22 hectares per person | 4.43 hectares per person | 5.99 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.75 hectares per person | 3.28 hectares per person | 4.28 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.76 hectares per person | 2.4 hectares per person | 3.19 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.21 hectares per person | 2.1 hectares per person | 2.35 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.98 hectares per person | 1.87 hectares per person | 2.08 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.73 hectares per person | 1.62 hectares per person | 1.85 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.54 hectares per person | 1.49 hectares per person | 1.59 hectares per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1917 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural area over the long-term, per capita in South Africa?
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita in South Africa was 1.49 hectares per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest agricultural area over the long-term, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.99 hectares per person in 1961.
- What is the lowest agricultural area over the long-term, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.49 hectares per person in 2025.
- How does South Africa rank for agricultural area over the long-term, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is agricultural area over the long-term, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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How this figure is calculated
Agricultural area over the long-term divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Agricultural area over the long-term ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Agricultural area over the long-term HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Agricultural area over the long-term divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.