Agricultural land in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Agricultural land was 29.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Agricultural land in Europe & Central Asia, 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
The most recent figure for agricultural land in Europe & Central Asia is 29.1%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 46.1% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 29.1%, in 2023.
That places Europe & Central Asia 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 46.1% | — |
| 1962 | 46.0% | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 46.1% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 45.9% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 45.8% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 45.7% | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 45.7% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 45.6% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 45.7% | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 45.3% | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 44.9% | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 44.8% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 44.7% | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 44.5% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 44.3% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 44.2% | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 44.2% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 44.2% | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 44.3% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 44.1% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 44.0% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 43.7% | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 43.4% | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 43.5% | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 43.6% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 43.6% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 43.7% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 43.6% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 43.6% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 43.4% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 43.1% | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | -28.8% |
| 1993 | 30.7% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 30.6% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 30.3% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 30.3% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 30.2% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 30.2% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 30.1% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 30.1% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 30.0% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 29.8% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 29.7% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 29.6% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 29.6% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 29.6% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 29.4% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 29.4% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 29.3% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 29.4% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 29.3% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 29.3% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 29.3% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 29.3% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 29.3% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 29.3% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 29.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 29.3% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 29.3% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 29.2% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 29.2% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 29.2% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 29.1% | -0.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Agricultural land in Europe & Central Asia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -28.8% | 43.1% | 30.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 45.8% | 45.6% | 46.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 44.5% | 44.2% | 45.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 43.7% | 43.4% | 44.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.0% | 30.1% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.6% | 29.3% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.3% | 29.3% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.2% | 29.1% | 29.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
More agriculture & rural data for Europe & Central Asia
- Rural population, per capita 0.2593 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.0% (2025)
- Rural population 241.78 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.0% (2025)
- Rural population 25.9% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.2% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 690.4 current US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.88 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.02 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in Europe & Central Asia?
- Agricultural land in Europe & Central Asia was 29.1% 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 Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 46.1% in 1963.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.1% in 2023.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for agricultural land?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia 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
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.