Agricultural land in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Agricultural land was 8.29 million sq. km in 2023. ▲ Rising
Agricultural land in Least developed countries, 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 sq. km.
Analysis
In 2023, agricultural land in Least developed countries stood at 8.29 million sq. km. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in Least developed countries peaked at 8.29 million sq. km in 2023 and was at its lowest, 5.36 million sq. km, in 1961.
That places Least developed countries 19th out of 45 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.39 million sq. km | 5.36 million sq. km | 5.42 million sq. km | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.44 million sq. km | 5.42 million sq. km | 5.45 million sq. km | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.51 million sq. km | 5.46 million sq. km | 5.56 million sq. km | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.95 million sq. km | 5.58 million sq. km | 6.18 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.36 million sq. km | 6.22 million sq. km | 6.53 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.84 million sq. km | 6.57 million sq. km | 8.23 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.27 million sq. km | 8.25 million sq. km | 8.29 million sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More agriculture & rural data for Least developed countries
- Rural population, per capita 0.6336 units per person (2025)
- Rural population 769.36 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
- Rural population 63.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2019)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 3.1% (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 277.75 current US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2039 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 337.24 billion current US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in Least developed countries?
- Agricultural land in Least developed countries was 8.29 million sq. km 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 Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 8.29 million sq. km in 2023.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.36 million sq. km in 1961.
- How does Least developed countries rank for agricultural land?
- Least developed countries ranks 19th out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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 (sq. km). 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 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.