Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade by country
Percentage change in surface area devoted to agriculture with respect to 10 years before. Negative values imply that surface area has decreased with respect to the previous decade. This data is used to assess which countries may have already peaked in their agricultural land use.
Countries reporting
220
Highest
130.0%
San Marino
Lowest
-68.2%
Northern Mariana Islands
Median
0.0%
Years covered
53
1971–2023
Data points
10,928
What the numbers show
Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade is currently reported for 220 countries. The highest value is 130.0% in San Marino; the lowest is -68.2% in Northern Mariana Islands.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.0%, and the mean is 0.2%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 2.
Over the past decade 92 countries rose and 109 fell. The largest increase was in Turkmenistan (up 3,348.4%), and the largest decrease in Bosnia and Herzegovina (down 13,048.5%).
Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Marino | 130.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 2 | French Guiana | 46.4% | 2023 | up 87.0% | volatile |
| 3 | Sao Tome and Principe | 22.9% | 2023 | up 922.9% | volatile |
| 4 | Cote d'Ivoire | 22.0% | 2023 | up 37.0% | volatile |
| 5 | Cyprus | 18.5% | 2023 | up 163.2% | volatile |
| 6 | Benin | 18.5% | 2023 | up 26.0% | rising |
| 7 | Montenegro | 18.1% | 2023 | up 136.0% | volatile |
| 8 | Central African Republic | 15.7% | 2023 | up 1,405.5% | volatile |
| 9 | Guinea | 15.0% | 2023 | up 37.7% | volatile |
| 10 | Burundi | 14.2% | 2023 | up 380.7% | volatile |
| 11 | Belize | 13.8% | 2023 | up 161.2% | volatile |
| 12 | Vietnam | 13.3% | 2023 | down 3.9% | volatile |
| 13 | Turkmenistan | 12.1% | 2023 | up 3,348.4% | volatile |
| 14 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 11.7% | 2023 | down 49.3% | volatile |
| 15 | American Samoa | 11.3% | 2023 | down 11.3% | volatile |
| 16 | Solomon Islands | 11.1% | 2023 | down 39.8% | volatile |
| 17 | Burkina Faso | 11.0% | 2023 | down 18.8% | volatile |
| 18 | Cambodia | 10.8% | 2023 | up 22.4% | volatile |
| 19 | Dominican Republic | 10.3% | 2023 | up 382.8% | volatile |
| 20 | Paraguay | 9.9% | 2023 | down 20.0% | rising |
| 21 | Sri Lanka | 9.7% | 2023 | down 34.4% | volatile |
| 22 | Liberia | 9.5% | 2023 | down 53.7% | volatile |
| 23 | Papua New Guinea | 9.3% | 2023 | down 42.4% | falling |
| 24 | Guatemala | 9.2% | 2023 | up 162.8% | volatile |
| 25 | Malawi | 9.1% | 2023 | down 19.7% | volatile |
| 26 | Egypt | 8.8% | 2023 | down 7.2% | volatile |
| 27 | Guinea-Bissau | 8.7% | 2023 | down 28.7% | rising |
| 28 | Indonesia | 7.3% | 2023 | down 29.2% | volatile |
| 29 | Portugal | 7.3% | 2023 | up 346.1% | volatile |
| 30 | Iraq | 6.7% | 2023 | up 188.7% | volatile |
| 31 | Malaysia | 6.3% | 2023 | down 52.1% | volatile |
| 32 | Honduras | 6.1% | 2023 | down 11.2% | volatile |
| 33 | Tonga | 6.1% | 2023 | down 39.4% | volatile |
| 34 | Senegal | 6.1% | 2023 | up 55.6% | volatile |
| 35 | Qatar | 5.4% | 2023 | down 10.4% | volatile |
| 36 | Latvia | 5.0% | 2023 | down 73.1% | volatile |
| 37 | Lesotho | 4.8% | 2023 | up 314.2% | volatile |
| 38 | Tajikistan | 4.7% | 2023 | up 124.4% | volatile |
| 39 | Ethiopia | 4.6% | 2023 | down 72.2% | falling |
| 40 | Mali | 4.0% | 2023 | up 78.9% | volatile |
| 41 | Tanzania | 3.9% | 2023 | down 64.5% | falling |
| 42 | Oman | 3.7% | 2023 | up 8.6% | volatile |
| 43 | Nigeria | 3.6% | 2023 | up 107.0% | volatile |
| 44 | Myanmar | 3.3% | 2023 | down 77.7% | volatile |
| 45 | United Arab Emirates | 3.2% | 2023 | up 110.3% | volatile |
| 46 | Bangladesh | 3.2% | 2023 | up 235.5% | volatile |
| 47 | Israel | 3.2% | 2023 | up 156.6% | volatile |
| 48 | Mozambique | 3.0% | 2023 | down 48.8% | volatile |
| 49 | Iran | 2.4% | 2023 | up 108.5% | volatile |
| 50 | Estonia | 2.4% | 2023 | down 85.5% | volatile |
| 51 | Lebanon | 2.2% | 2023 | down 59.1% | volatile |
| 52 | Uzbekistan | 2.1% | 2023 | up 131.0% | volatile |
| 53 | Philippines | 2.0% | 2023 | down 81.4% | volatile |
| 54 | Niger | 2.0% | 2023 | down 89.4% | volatile |
| 55 | Bolivia | 1.9% | 2023 | down 51.0% | volatile |
| 56 | Luxembourg | 1.6% | 2023 | down 28.1% | volatile |
| 57 | Peru | 1.5% | 2023 | down 56.9% | volatile |
| 58 | Kenya | 1.5% | 2023 | down 72.2% | volatile |
| 59 | Cameroon | 1.5% | 2023 | down 76.6% | volatile |
| 60 | Isle of Man | 1.5% | 2023 | up 109.8% | volatile |
| 61 | Bhutan | 1.4% | 2023 | up 113.1% | volatile |
| 62 | Falkland Islands | 1.3% | 2023 | up 218.2% | volatile |
| 63 | Angola | 1.3% | 2023 | down 43.1% | volatile |
| 64 | Belgium | 1.3% | 2023 | up 131.4% | volatile |
| 65 | Brazil | 1.2% | 2023 | down 49.7% | volatile |
| 66 | Poland | 1.2% | 2023 | up 110.8% | volatile |
| 67 | Ghana | 1.1% | 2023 | up 211.0% | volatile |
| 68 | Cuba | 0.9% | 2023 | up 120.8% | volatile |
| 69 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.7% | 2023 | down 40.8% | volatile |
| 70 | Chad | 0.6% | 2023 | down 75.6% | volatile |
| 71 | Afghanistan | 0.5% | 2023 | up 691.8% | volatile |
| 72 | East Timor | 0.5% | 2023 | down 69.5% | volatile |
| 73 | Zambia | 0.4% | 2023 | down 88.1% | volatile |
| 74 | Turkey | 0.4% | 2023 | up 107.9% | volatile |
| 75 | Czechia | 0.4% | 2023 | up 109.5% | volatile |
| 76 | Nicaragua | 0.4% | 2023 | up 112.9% | volatile |
| 77 | Azerbaijan | 0.2% | 2023 | down 35.7% | volatile |
| 78 | Congo | 0.2% | 2023 | down 77.5% | volatile |
| 79 | New Caledonia | 0.2% | 2023 | up 100.7% | volatile |
| 80 | Slovenia | 0.2% | 2023 | down 99.2% | volatile |
| 81 | Bulgaria | 0.2% | 2023 | up 102.6% | volatile |
| 82 | Finland | 0.2% | 2023 | down 72.2% | volatile |
| 83 | Guyana | 0.1% | 2023 | up 15.8% | volatile |
| 84 | Russia | 0.1% | 2023 | up 126.5% | volatile |
| 86 | Greenland | 0.0% | 2023 | down 98.3% | volatile |
| 87 | Sierra Leone | 0.0% | 2023 | down 99.9% | volatile |
| 88 | Namibia | 0.0% | 2023 | up 127.3% | volatile |
| 89 | Somalia | 0.0% | 2023 | down 81.2% | volatile |
| 90 | Aruba | 0.0% | 2023 | — | flat |
| 90 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Bahamas | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Bermuda | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Brunei | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Comoros | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Cape Verde | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Cayman Islands | 0.0% | 2023 | — | flat |
| 90 | Dominica | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Eritrea | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Micronesia (country) | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Gabon | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Grenada | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Kiribati | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Saint Lucia | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Madagascar | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Marshall Islands | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Mauritania | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Nauru | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Palau | 0.0% | 2023 | — | flat |
| 90 | Seychelles | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 0.0% | 2023 | — | flat |
| 90 | Togo | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Tuvalu | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Uganda | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Venezuela | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | British Virgin Islands | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Vanuatu | 0.0% | 2023 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | South Africa | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Western Sahara | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Cook Islands | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Montserrat | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Niue | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Saint Helena | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 0.0% | 2023 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Tokelau | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Wallis and Futuna | 0.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Netherlands Antilles | 0.0% | 2010 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Norfolk Island | 0.0% | 2023 | — | flat |
| 132 | Libya | -0.0% | 2023 | up 94.7% | volatile |
| 133 | Saudi Arabia | -0.0% | 2023 | down 18.6% | volatile |
| 134 | Mauritius | -0.0% | 2023 | up 99.6% | volatile |
| 135 | Botswana | -0.1% | 2023 | down 123.2% | volatile |
| 136 | Zimbabwe | -0.1% | 2023 | down 103.4% | volatile |
| 137 | Yemen | -0.2% | 2023 | down 1,274.8% | volatile |
| 138 | Algeria | -0.2% | 2023 | down 105.5% | volatile |
| 139 | Denmark | -0.3% | 2023 | up 76.4% | volatile |
| 140 | Faroe Islands | -0.3% | 2023 | down 145.2% | volatile |
| 141 | Andorra | -0.4% | 2023 | up 97.9% | volatile |
| 142 | Jamaica | -0.4% | 2023 | up 96.3% | volatile |
| 143 | Ukraine | -0.5% | 2023 | down 225.2% | volatile |
| 144 | Norway | -0.5% | 2023 | up 89.7% | volatile |
| 145 | United States | -0.5% | 2023 | down 120.6% | volatile |
| 146 | India | -0.6% | 2023 | down 105.2% | volatile |
| 147 | Lithuania | -0.6% | 2023 | down 104.6% | volatile |
| 148 | Germany | -0.7% | 2023 | up 62.8% | volatile |
| 149 | North Macedonia | -0.7% | 2023 | up 77.3% | volatile |
| 150 | Uruguay | -0.8% | 2023 | up 80.6% | volatile |
| 151 | Pakistan | -0.8% | 2023 | up 48.5% | volatile |
| 152 | Moldova | -0.9% | 2023 | up 67.8% | volatile |
| 153 | China | -0.9% | 2023 | down 965.0% | volatile |
| 154 | Mexico | -0.9% | 2023 | up 85.7% | volatile |
| 155 | Kazakhstan | -1.3% | 2023 | down 167.1% | volatile |
| 156 | North Korea | -1.4% | 2023 | down 135.8% | volatile |
| 157 | United Kingdom | -1.4% | 2023 | down 180.4% | volatile |
| 158 | Singapore | -1.5% | 2023 | up 90.8% | volatile |
| 159 | Gambia | -1.6% | 2023 | down 104.2% | volatile |
| 160 | France | -1.7% | 2023 | up 35.7% | rising |
| 161 | Canada | -1.7% | 2023 | up 74.8% | volatile |
| 162 | Fiji | -1.7% | 2023 | up 83.9% | volatile |
| 163 | Sweden | -1.8% | 2023 | up 39.8% | volatile |
| 164 | Armenia | -1.8% | 2023 | down 111.0% | volatile |
| 165 | El Salvador | -1.9% | 2023 | up 35.6% | volatile |
| 166 | Kyrgyzstan | -1.9% | 2023 | up 28.3% | volatile |
| 167 | Eswatini | -1.9% | 2023 | down 354.0% | volatile |
| 168 | Thailand | -2.0% | 2023 | down 167.5% | volatile |
| 169 | Switzerland | -2.1% | 2023 | up 0.3% | rising |
| 170 | Syria | -2.3% | 2023 | down 389.4% | volatile |
| 171 | Australia | -2.3% | 2023 | up 85.1% | volatile |
| 172 | Kuwait | -2.3% | 2023 | down 236.1% | volatile |
| 173 | Laos | -2.4% | 2023 | down 110.4% | volatile |
| 174 | Panama | -2.4% | 2023 | down 777.6% | volatile |
| 175 | Netherlands | -2.4% | 2023 | up 30.1% | volatile |
| 176 | Tunisia | -2.4% | 2023 | down 250.1% | volatile |
| 177 | Morocco | -2.6% | 2023 | down 176.4% | volatile |
| 178 | Taiwan | -2.6% | 2023 | up 49.6% | volatile |
| 179 | Serbia | -2.7% | 2023 | down 19.1% | volatile |
| 180 | Jordan | -3.1% | 2023 | down 160.1% | volatile |
| 182 | Liechtenstein | -3.2% | 2023 | up 83.7% | volatile |
| 183 | Hungary | -3.3% | 2023 | up 68.1% | falling |
| 184 | Slovakia | -3.6% | 2023 | up 76.4% | volatile |
| 185 | Italy | -4.0% | 2023 | up 53.5% | volatile |
| 186 | Austria | -4.4% | 2023 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 187 | Georgia | -4.6% | 2023 | up 73.4% | volatile |
| 188 | Rwanda | -4.9% | 2023 | down 198.2% | volatile |
| 189 | Bahrain | -5.0% | 2023 | up 54.0% | volatile |
| 190 | Croatia | -5.2% | 2023 | down 116.7% | volatile |
| 191 | Argentina | -5.5% | 2023 | down 15.8% | volatile |
| 192 | Palestine | -5.6% | 2023 | up 48.9% | volatile |
| 193 | Mongolia | -5.8% | 2023 | down 2,627.7% | volatile |
| 194 | Japan | -5.8% | 2023 | down 20.7% | rising |
| 195 | French Polynesia | -6.0% | 2023 | up 15.8% | rising |
| 196 | Costa Rica | -6.0% | 2023 | down 294.1% | volatile |
| 197 | Ireland | -6.4% | 2023 | down 362.7% | volatile |
| 198 | Spain | -7.3% | 2023 | up 11.6% | volatile |
| 199 | Nepal | -7.7% | 2023 | down 90.4% | volatile |
| 200 | Belarus | -7.8% | 2023 | down 154.2% | falling |
| 201 | Maldives | -7.8% | 2023 | up 83.3% | volatile |
| 202 | Romania | -8.6% | 2023 | down 41.5% | volatile |
| 203 | Colombia | -9.7% | 2023 | down 247.0% | volatile |
| 204 | Guam | -11.1% | 2023 | down 11.1% | volatile |
| 205 | South Korea | -11.3% | 2023 | down 61.9% | volatile |
| 206 | Albania | -12.0% | 2023 | down 303.2% | volatile |
| 207 | Puerto Rico | -12.1% | 2023 | down 11.7% | volatile |
| 208 | Iceland | -12.5% | 2023 | down 1,742.2% | volatile |
| 209 | New Zealand | -12.6% | 2023 | down 98.1% | volatile |
| 210 | Haiti | -13.2% | 2023 | down 155.4% | volatile |
| 211 | Suriname | -14.1% | 2023 | down 521.7% | volatile |
| 214 | Reunion | -16.4% | 2023 | down 537.6% | volatile |
| 215 | United States Virgin Islands | -17.5% | 2023 | up 47.5% | volatile |
| 216 | Malta | -19.0% | 2023 | down 1,059.5% | volatile |
| 217 | Samoa | -20.0% | 2023 | down 156.1% | volatile |
| 218 | Barbados | -20.0% | 2023 | up 24.4% | volatile |
| 219 | Hong Kong | -21.6% | 2023 | up 20.5% | volatile |
| 220 | Chile | -22.0% | 2023 | down 98.8% | volatile |
| 221 | Greece | -24.9% | 2023 | down 87.0% | volatile |
| 222 | Ecuador | -28.8% | 2023 | down 893.6% | volatile |
| 223 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | -48.5% | 2023 | down 13,048.5% | volatile |
| 224 | Northern Mariana Islands | -68.2% | 2023 | down 57.5% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- USSR 0.3%
- OECD (FAO) -1.9%
About this data
Percentage change in surface area devoted to agriculture with respect to 10 years before. Negative values imply that surface area has decreased with respect to the previous decade. This data is used to assess which countries may have already peaked in their agricultural land use.