Agricultural land in France
France: Agricultural land was 52.5% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Agricultural land in France, 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
In 2023, agricultural land in France stood at 52.5%. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in France peaked at 64.1% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 52.5%, in 2023.
France ranks 57th of 210 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land in France, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 64.1% | — |
| 1962 | 63.9% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 63.7% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 63.3% | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 63.1% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 62.8% | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 62.4% | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 61.6% | -1.3% |
| 1969 | 61.6% | -0.0% |
| 1970 | 60.3% | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 60.5% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 60.3% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 60.2% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 60.2% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 60.0% | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 59.4% | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 59.2% | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 59.3% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 59.1% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 58.9% | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 58.8% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 58.7% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 58.6% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 58.5% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 58.3% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 58.3% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 58.2% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 57.2% | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 57.0% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 56.8% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 56.6% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 56.4% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 56.2% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 56.0% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 55.9% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 55.8% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 55.7% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 55.6% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 55.5% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 55.3% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 55.1% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 54.9% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 54.8% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 54.7% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 54.5% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 54.4% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 54.2% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 54.0% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 53.8% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 53.7% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 53.6% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 53.5% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 53.4% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 53.4% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 53.3% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 53.3% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 53.2% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 53.2% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 52.9% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 52.7% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 52.7% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 52.5% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 62.9% | 61.6% | 64.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 59.9% | 59.1% | 60.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 58.2% | 57.0% | 58.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 56.1% | 55.5% | 56.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.6% | 53.8% | 55.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.3% | 52.9% | 53.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.7% | 52.5% | 52.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
- 54 Netherlands 53.5% compare
- 55 Burkina Faso 53.4% compare
- 56 Mozambique 52.8% compare
- 58 Luxembourg 51.7% compare
- 59 Mexico 50.7% compare
- 60 Türkiye 50.1% compare
More agriculture & rural data for France
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 14.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.014 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 687.36 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.033 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2115 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.1% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in France?
- Agricultural land in France was 52.5% 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 64.1% in 1961.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.5% in 2023.
- How does France rank for agricultural land?
- France ranks 57th out of 210 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France 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.