Agricultural land use in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Agricultural land use was 173.64 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
173.64 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
9th
of 227 countries
All-time high
173.81 million hectares
in 1999
All-time low
86.17 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Agricultural land use in Saudi Arabia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 173.64 million hectares for agricultural land use in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land use in Saudi Arabia peaked at 173.81 million hectares in 1999 and was at its lowest, 86.17 million hectares, in 1961.
That places Saudi Arabia 9th out of 227 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land use in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 86.17 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 86.19 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 86.21 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 86.24 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 86.26 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 86.28 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 86.30 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 86.34 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 86.38 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 86.42 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 86.47 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 86.52 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 86.57 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 86.64 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 86.68 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 86.75 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 86.80 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 86.86 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 86.91 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 86.96 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 87.01 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 87.07 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 87.27 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 92.42 million hectares | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 97.62 million hectares | +5.6% |
| 1986 | 102.78 million hectares | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 107.98 million hectares | +5.1% |
| 1988 | 113.13 million hectares | +4.8% |
| 1989 | 118.29 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1990 | 123.48 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 123.67 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 123.75 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 130.78 million hectares | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 137.78 million hectares | +5.3% |
| 1995 | 144.78 million hectares | +5.1% |
| 1996 | 151.78 million hectares | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 158.78 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 166.77 million hectares | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 173.81 million hectares | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 173.80 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 173.79 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 173.78 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 173.78 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 173.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 173.78 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 173.78 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 173.77 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 173.77 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 173.76 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 173.74 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 173.73 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 173.72 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 173.71 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 173.62 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 173.62 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 173.61 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 173.61 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 173.60 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 173.62 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 173.64 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 173.64 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 173.64 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 173.64 million hectares | +0.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 173.64 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 982,000 hectares, 176.8× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 173.64 million hectares is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 4.06 million hectares, 42.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 86.26 million hectares | 86.17 million hectares | 86.38 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 86.66 million hectares | 86.42 million hectares | 86.91 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 98.05 million hectares | 86.96 million hectares | 118.29 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 143.54 million hectares | 123.48 million hectares | 173.81 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 173.78 million hectares | 173.76 million hectares | 173.80 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 173.66 million hectares | 173.60 million hectares | 173.74 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 173.64 million hectares | 173.64 million hectares | 173.64 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More agriculture & rural data for Saudi Arabia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0259 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 894.48 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 3.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1539 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land use in Saudi Arabia?
- Agricultural land use in Saudi Arabia was 173.64 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 173.81 million hectares in 1999.
- What is the lowest agricultural land use recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 86.17 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for agricultural land use?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 9th out of 227 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land use rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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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About this data
Land used for cultivation of crops and animal husbandry. The total of areas under cropland and permanent meadows and pastures.