Agricultural land in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Agricultural land was 41.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Agricultural land in Africa Western and Central, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of land area.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 41.6% for agricultural land in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in Africa Western and Central peaked at 41.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 32.9%, in 1961.
That places Africa Western and Central 21st out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 32.9% | — |
| 1962 | 32.9% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 33.0% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 33.0% | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 33.1% | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 33.1% | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 33.1% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 33.2% | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 33.3% | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 33.2% | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 33.2% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 33.2% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 33.3% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 33.2% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 33.3% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 33.4% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 33.4% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 33.4% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 33.5% | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 33.7% | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 33.7% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 33.7% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 33.8% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 33.9% | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 34.0% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 34.2% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 34.2% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 34.3% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 34.3% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 34.7% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 34.8% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 35.1% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 35.4% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 35.7% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 36.2% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 36.5% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 36.6% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 36.7% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 36.9% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 37.1% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 37.2% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 37.4% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 37.6% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 37.5% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 38.2% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 38.3% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 38.5% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 38.6% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 38.8% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 39.0% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 39.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 39.4% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 39.7% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 39.9% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 40.2% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 40.3% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 40.5% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 40.8% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 40.9% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 41.1% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 41.3% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 41.4% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 41.6% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 33.1% | 32.9% | 33.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 33.3% | 33.2% | 33.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 34.0% | 33.7% | 34.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 35.9% | 34.7% | 36.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.9% | 37.1% | 38.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.0% | 39.0% | 40.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.4% | 41.1% | 41.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 18 Ukraine 71.3% compare
- 19 Somalia 70.3% compare
- 20 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 70.3% compare
- 21 Madagascar 70.3% compare
- 22 Togo 70.2% compare
- 23 Faroe Islands 70.1% compare
- 24 Eswatini 69.5% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Africa Western and Central
- Rural population, per capita 0.4652 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 21.9% (2025)
- Rural population 247.88 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.0% (2025)
- Rural population 46.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 4.2% (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 350.89 current US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in Africa Western and Central?
- Agricultural land in Africa Western and Central was 41.6% in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest agricultural land recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 41.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.9% in 1961.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for agricultural land?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 21st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Agricultural land (% of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
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.