Agricultural land in North America
North America: Agricultural land was 4.78 million sq. km 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 sq. km.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural land in North America is 4.78 million sq. km, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in North America peaked at 5.09 million sq. km in 1961 and was at its lowest, 4.73 million sq. km, in 2007.
North America ranks 32nd of 45 groups 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 North America, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.09 million sq. km | — |
| 1962 | 5.06 million sq. km | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 5.04 million sq. km | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 5.02 million sq. km | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 4.99 million sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 4.99 million sq. km | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 4.99 million sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 4.99 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 4.99 million sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 5.02 million sq. km | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 5.00 million sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 4.98 million sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 4.96 million sq. km | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 4.93 million sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 4.93 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 4.93 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 4.93 million sq. km | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 4.91 million sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 4.90 million sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 4.90 million sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 4.89 million sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 4.93 million sq. km | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 4.93 million sq. km | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 4.92 million sq. km | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 4.92 million sq. km | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 4.92 million sq. km | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 4.88 million sq. km | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 4.88 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 4.88 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4.88 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 4.88 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 4.87 million sq. km | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 4.84 million sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 4.82 million sq. km | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 4.81 million sq. km | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 4.77 million sq. km | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 4.76 million sq. km | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 4.76 million sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 4.75 million sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 4.76 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 4.76 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 4.75 million sq. km | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 4.75 million sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 4.75 million sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 4.75 million sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 4.73 million sq. km | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 4.73 million sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 4.74 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 4.76 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 4.77 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 4.79 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 4.81 million sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 4.82 million sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 4.83 million sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 4.84 million sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 4.84 million sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 4.85 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 4.84 million sq. km | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 4.83 million sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 4.81 million sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 4.80 million sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 4.79 million sq. km | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 4.78 million sq. km | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.02 million sq. km | 4.99 million sq. km | 5.09 million sq. km | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.95 million sq. km | 4.90 million sq. km | 5.02 million sq. km | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.91 million sq. km | 4.88 million sq. km | 4.93 million sq. km | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.82 million sq. km | 4.75 million sq. km | 4.88 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.75 million sq. km | 4.73 million sq. km | 4.76 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.82 million sq. km | 4.77 million sq. km | 4.85 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.79 million sq. km | 4.78 million sq. km | 4.81 million sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 29 Turkmenistan 395,782 sq. km compare
- 30 Tanzania, United Republic of 395,212 sq. km compare
- 31 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 388,154 sq. km compare
- 32 Namibia 388,120 sq. km compare
- 33 Türkiye 385,880 sq. km compare
- 34 Ethiopia 384,569 sq. km compare
- 35 Afghanistan 381,160 sq. km compare
More agriculture & rural data for North America
- Rural population, per capita 0.1951 units per person (2025)
- 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)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 256.06 billion current US$ (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in North America?
- Agricultural land in North America was 4.78 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 5.09 million sq. km in 1961.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.73 million sq. km in 2007.
- How does North America rank for agricultural land?
- North America ranks 32nd out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. 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 (sq. km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.