Agricultural land use in Botswana
Botswana: Agricultural land use was 25.86 million hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
25.86 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
44th
of 227 countries
All-time high
26.02 million hectares
in 1990
All-time low
25.78 million hectares
in 2007
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Agricultural land use in Botswana, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural land use in Botswana is 25.86 million hectares, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land use in Botswana peaked at 26.02 million hectares in 1990 and was at its lowest, 25.78 million hectares, in 2007.
Botswana ranks 44th of 227 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Agricultural land use in Botswana, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 26.00 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 26.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 26.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 26.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 26.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 26.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 26.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 26.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 26.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 26.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 25.90 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 25.85 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 25.95 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 25.95 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 25.95 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 25.90 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 25.83 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 25.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 25.95 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 25.80 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 25.85 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 25.80 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 25.83 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 25.82 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 25.80 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 25.78 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 25.88 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 25.92 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 25.86 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 25.93 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 25.89 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 25.88 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 26.00 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 25.86 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 25.86 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 25.86 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 25.86 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 25.86 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 25.86 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 25.86 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 25.86 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 25.86 million hectares | +0.0% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 25.86 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.20 million hectares, 8.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 25.86 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.51 million hectares, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 26.00 million hectares | 26.00 million hectares | 26.00 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 26.00 million hectares | 26.00 million hectares | 26.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.01 million hectares | 26.00 million hectares | 26.02 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.92 million hectares | 25.83 million hectares | 26.02 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.84 million hectares | 25.78 million hectares | 25.95 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.89 million hectares | 25.86 million hectares | 26.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.86 million hectares | 25.86 million hectares | 25.86 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 41 South Sudan 28.35 million hectares compare
- 42 France 28.30 million hectares compare
- 43 Cote d'Ivoire 27.50 million hectares compare
- 45 Uzbekistan 25.58 million hectares compare
- 46 Spain 24.77 million hectares compare
- 47 Peru 24.39 million hectares compare
More agriculture & rural data for Botswana
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0178 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 138.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0839 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3204 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land use in Botswana?
- Agricultural land use in Botswana was 25.86 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 Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 26.02 million hectares in 1990.
- What is the lowest agricultural land use recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.78 million hectares in 2007.
- How does Botswana rank for agricultural land use?
- Botswana ranks 44th out of 227 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land use rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Botswana 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Land used for cultivation of crops and animal husbandry. The total of areas under cropland and permanent meadows and pastures.