Agricultural land in North America
North America: Agricultural land was 26.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Agricultural land in North America, 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 North America is 26.7%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in North America peaked at 28.1% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 26.1%, in 2007.
North America ranks 43rd of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land in North America, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 28.1% | — |
| 1962 | 27.9% | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 27.8% | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 27.7% | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 27.6% | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 27.5% | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 27.5% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 27.5% | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 27.5% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 27.7% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 27.6% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 27.5% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 27.3% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 27.2% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 27.2% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 27.2% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 27.2% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 27.1% | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 27.0% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 27.0% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 27.0% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 27.2% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 27.2% | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 27.2% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 27.2% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 27.2% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 26.9% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 26.9% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 26.9% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 26.9% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 27.0% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 26.9% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 26.7% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 26.6% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 26.6% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 26.3% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 26.3% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 26.3% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 26.2% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 26.2% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 26.3% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 26.2% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 26.2% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 26.2% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 26.2% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 26.1% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 26.1% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 26.2% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 26.3% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 26.3% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 26.5% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 26.6% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 26.6% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 26.7% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 26.7% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 26.8% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 26.7% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 26.6% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 26.6% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 26.7% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 26.7% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 26.7% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 27.7% | 27.5% | 28.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 27.3% | 27.0% | 27.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.1% | 26.9% | 27.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.6% | 26.2% | 27.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.2% | 26.1% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.6% | 26.3% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.7% | 26.6% | 26.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 40 Tuvalu 60.0% compare
- 41 Armenia 58.6% compare
- 42 Afghanistan 58.4% compare
- 43 Uzbekistan 58.1% compare
- 44 Azerbaijan 57.8% compare
- 45 El Salvador 57.7% compare
- 46 Hungary 55.7% compare
More agriculture & rural data for North America
- Rural population, per capita 0.1951 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.0% (2021)
- Rural population 74.83 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.2% (2025)
- Rural population 19.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.9% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 691.3 current US$ per person (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.18 % change on previous year (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0099 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in North America?
- Agricultural land in North America was 26.7% 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 28.1% in 1961.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.1% in 2007.
- How does North America rank for agricultural land?
- North America ranks 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America 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.