Agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria

Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria: Agricultural land was 888.57 million hectares in 2011. ▲ Rising

Latest (2011)
888.57 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
5th
of 6 groups
All-time high
888.57 million hectares
in 2011
All-time low
789.48 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
51
1961–2011

Agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria, 1961–2011

0200.0M400.0M600.0M800.0M196119862011

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

In 2011, agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria stood at 888.57 million hectares. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria peaked at 888.57 million hectares in 2011 and was at its lowest, 789.48 million hectares, in 1961.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.

Agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Agricultural land (hectares) in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria, 1961 to 2011.
Year hectares Change
1961 789.48 million hectares
1962 790.78 million hectares +0.2%
1963 792.65 million hectares +0.2%
1964 793.84 million hectares +0.1%
1965 795.04 million hectares +0.2%
1966 797.72 million hectares +0.3%
1967 798.46 million hectares +0.1%
1968 800.11 million hectares +0.2%
1969 801.03 million hectares +0.1%
1970 801.35 million hectares +0.0%
1971 804.27 million hectares +0.4%
1972 805.23 million hectares +0.1%
1973 805.51 million hectares +0.0%
1974 805.43 million hectares -0.0%
1975 806.75 million hectares +0.2%
1976 807.90 million hectares +0.1%
1977 808.48 million hectares +0.1%
1978 810.13 million hectares +0.2%
1979 810.32 million hectares +0.0%
1980 811.17 million hectares +0.1%
1981 811.19 million hectares +0.0%
1982 812.00 million hectares +0.1%
1983 813.35 million hectares +0.2%
1984 813.78 million hectares +0.1%
1985 818.60 million hectares +0.6%
1986 822.87 million hectares +0.5%
1987 824.90 million hectares +0.2%
1988 829.50 million hectares +0.6%
1989 832.46 million hectares +0.4%
1990 834.25 million hectares +0.2%
1991 835.63 million hectares +0.2%
1992 838.35 million hectares +0.3%
1993 824.70 million hectares -1.6%
1994 829.05 million hectares +0.5%
1995 832.45 million hectares +0.4%
1996 835.30 million hectares +0.3%
1997 839.25 million hectares +0.5%
1998 841.81 million hectares +0.3%
1999 845.53 million hectares +0.4%
2000 848.32 million hectares +0.3%
2001 853.78 million hectares +0.6%
2002 855.28 million hectares +0.2%
2003 862.05 million hectares +0.8%
2004 863.45 million hectares +0.2%
2005 872.60 million hectares +1.1%
2006 874.77 million hectares +0.2%
2007 877.07 million hectares +0.3%
2008 883.30 million hectares +0.7%
2009 884.99 million hectares +0.2%
2010 887.38 million hectares +0.3%
2011 888.57 million hectares +0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 795.46 million hectares 789.48 million hectares 801.03 million hectares 9
1970s 806.54 million hectares 801.35 million hectares 810.32 million hectares 10
1980s 818.98 million hectares 811.17 million hectares 832.46 million hectares 10
1990s 835.63 million hectares 824.70 million hectares 845.53 million hectares 10
2000s 867.56 million hectares 848.32 million hectares 884.99 million hectares 10
2010s 887.98 million hectares 887.38 million hectares 888.57 million hectares 2

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria

  1. 2 South Africa 96.37 million hectares compare
  2. 3 Nigeria 76.20 million hectares compare
  3. 4 Angola 58.39 million hectares compare
  4. 5 Chad 49.93 million hectares compare
  5. 6 Mozambique 49.40 million hectares compare
  6. 7 Somalia 44.13 million hectares compare
  7. 8 Niger 43.78 million hectares compare

See the full ranking of 59 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria?
Agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria was 888.57 million hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
What is the highest agricultural land recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 888.57 million hectares in 2011.
What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 789.48 million hectares in 1961.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria rank for agricultural land?
Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria ranks 5th out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
Is agricultural land rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Agricultural land (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/agricultural-land-hectares/sub-saharan-africa-excluding-south-africa-and-nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Agricultural land (hectares)
Unit
hectares
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
59 places, 2,977 data points, 1961–2011
Last refreshed

Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land 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. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.