What is agricultural land use in Afghanistan?

Agricultural land use in Afghanistan was 38.12 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest agricultural land use recorded in Afghanistan?

The highest recorded value was 38.31 million hectares in 2020.

What is the lowest agricultural land use recorded in Afghanistan?

The lowest recorded value was 37.75 million hectares in 1961.

How does Afghanistan rank for agricultural land use?

Afghanistan ranks 36th out of 227 countries with data for 2023.

Is agricultural land use rising or falling in Afghanistan?

Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.

Where does this Afghanistan data come from?

The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural land use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Agricultural land use in Afghanistan

Name: Agricultural land use in Afghanistan
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Afghanistan: Agricultural land use was 38.12 million hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)

38.12 million hectares

Change on year

down 0.5%

World rank

36th

of 227 countries

All-time high

38.31 million hectares

in 2020

All-time low

37.75 million hectares

in 1961

Years of data

1961–2023

Agricultural land use in Afghanistan, 1961–2023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

Afghanistan recorded 38.12 million hectares for agricultural land use in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, agricultural land use in Afghanistan peaked at 38.31 million hectares in 2020 and was at its lowest, 37.75 million hectares, in 1961.

That places Afghanistan 36th out of 227 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

Agricultural land use in Afghanistan, year by year

Annual values for Agricultural land use in Afghanistan, 1961 to 2023.
Year	hectares	Change
1961	37.75 million hectares	—
1962	37.80 million hectares	+0.1%
1963	37.85 million hectares	+0.1%
1964	37.91 million hectares	+0.1%
1965	37.91 million hectares	+0.0%
1966	37.95 million hectares	+0.1%
1967	37.98 million hectares	+0.1%
1968	37.98 million hectares	+0.0%
1969	38.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1970	38.01 million hectares	+0.0%
1971	38.04 million hectares	+0.1%
1972	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1973	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1974	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1975	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1976	38.05 million hectares	-0.0%
1977	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1978	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1979	38.05 million hectares	-0.0%
1980	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1981	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1982	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1983	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1984	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1985	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1986	38.05 million hectares	+0.0%
1987	38.05 million hectares	-0.0%
1988	38.04 million hectares	-0.0%
1989	38.04 million hectares	+0.0%
1990	38.04 million hectares	+0.0%
1991	38.03 million hectares	-0.0%
1992	38.03 million hectares	+0.0%
1993	37.93 million hectares	-0.3%
1994	37.81 million hectares	-0.3%
1995	37.76 million hectares	-0.1%
1996	37.76 million hectares	-0.0%
1997	37.80 million hectares	+0.1%
1998	37.87 million hectares	+0.2%
1999	37.76 million hectares	-0.3%
2000	37.79 million hectares	+0.1%
2001	37.80 million hectares	+0.0%
2002	37.79 million hectares	-0.0%
2003	37.88 million hectares	+0.2%
2004	37.93 million hectares	+0.1%
2005	37.92 million hectares	-0.0%
2006	37.91 million hectares	-0.0%
2007	37.91 million hectares	+0.0%
2008	37.92 million hectares	+0.0%
2009	37.92 million hectares	+0.0%
2010	37.92 million hectares	+0.0%
2011	37.91 million hectares	-0.0%
2012	37.91 million hectares	-0.0%
2013	37.91 million hectares	-0.0%
2014	37.91 million hectares	+0.0%
2015	37.91 million hectares	+0.0%
2016	37.91 million hectares	+0.0%
2017	37.91 million hectares	+0.0%
2018	38.01 million hectares	+0.3%
2019	38.01 million hectares	+0.0%
2020	38.31 million hectares	+0.8%
2021	38.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2022	38.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2023	38.12 million hectares	-0.5%

Afghanistan compared with similar countries

Afghanistan's 38.12 million hectares is above the median for low income countries, which is 14.61 million hectares, 2.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Afghanistan's 38.12 million hectares is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 4.06 million hectares, 9.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	37.90 million hectares	37.75 million hectares	38.00 million hectares	9
1970s	38.04 million hectares	38.01 million hectares	38.05 million hectares	10
1980s	38.05 million hectares	38.04 million hectares	38.05 million hectares	10
1990s	37.88 million hectares	37.76 million hectares	38.04 million hectares	10
2000s	37.88 million hectares	37.79 million hectares	37.93 million hectares	10
2010s	37.93 million hectares	37.91 million hectares	38.01 million hectares	10
2020s	38.26 million hectares	38.12 million hectares	38.31 million hectares	4

Countries ranked near Afghanistan

33 Namibia 38.81 million hectares compare
34 Turkey 38.59 million hectares compare
35 Ethiopia 38.46 million hectares compare
37 Pakistan 35.99 million hectares compare
38 Democratic Republic of Congo 35.10 million hectares compare
39 Morocco 29.79 million hectares compare

See the full ranking of 228 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Afghanistan

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 2.31 % change on previous year (2024)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3429 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 142.96 current US$ per person (2024)
Rural population, annual growth rate 2.47 % change on previous year (2025)
Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0018 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Rural population, per capita 0.7406 units per person (2025)
Share of GDP from agriculture 34.3% (2024)
Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 34.3% (2024)
Agricultural raw materials exports 21.0% (2019)
Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2019)

All data for Afghanistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is agricultural land use in Afghanistan?: Agricultural land use in Afghanistan was 38.12 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest agricultural land use recorded in Afghanistan?: The highest recorded value was 38.31 million hectares in 2020.
What is the lowest agricultural land use recorded in Afghanistan?: The lowest recorded value was 37.75 million hectares in 1961.
How does Afghanistan rank for agricultural land use?: Afghanistan ranks 36th out of 227 countries with data for 2023.
Is agricultural land use rising or falling in Afghanistan?: Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Afghanistan data come from?: The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural land use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Agricultural land use in Afghanistan. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 04 October 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/agricultural-land/afghanistan/

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About this data

Indicator: Agricultural land use
Unit: hectares
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 228 places, 13,212 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Land used for cultivation of crops and animal husbandry. The total of areas under cropland and permanent meadows and pastures.