What is arable and permanent cropland in Africa?

Arable and permanent cropland in Africa was 257.28 million hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.

What is the highest arable and permanent cropland recorded in Africa?

The highest recorded value was 257.28 million hectares in 2011.

What is the lowest arable and permanent cropland recorded in Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 168.84 million hectares in 1961.

How does Africa rank for arable and permanent cropland?

Africa ranks 1st out of 2 groups with data for 2011.

Is arable and permanent cropland rising or falling in Africa?

Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Africa data come from?

The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Arable and permanent cropland (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Arable and permanent cropland in Africa

Name: Arable and permanent cropland in Africa
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

Africa: Arable and permanent cropland was 257.28 million hectares in 2011. ▲ Rising

Latest (2011)

257.28 million hectares

Change on year

up 0.3%

Rank

1st

of 2 groups

All-time high

257.28 million hectares

in 2011

All-time low

168.84 million hectares

in 1961

Years of data

1961–2011

Arable and permanent cropland in Africa, 1961–2011

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

Africa recorded 257.28 million hectares for arable and permanent cropland in 2011. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, arable and permanent cropland in Africa peaked at 257.28 million hectares in 2011 and was at its lowest, 168.84 million hectares, in 1961.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	174.70 million hectares	168.84 million hectares	180.50 million hectares	9
1970s	186.18 million hectares	181.36 million hectares	190.25 million hectares	10
1980s	195.30 million hectares	190.42 million hectares	201.56 million hectares	10
1990s	213.63 million hectares	203.56 million hectares	221.81 million hectares	10
2000s	237.96 million hectares	221.81 million hectares	253.07 million hectares	10
2010s	256.83 million hectares	256.39 million hectares	257.28 million hectares	2

Countries ranked near Africa

1 Nigeria 39.20 million hectares compare
2 Sudan 19.02 million hectares compare
3 Ethiopia, The Federal Democratic Republic of 15.68 million hectares compare
4 Niger 15.00 million hectares compare

See the full ranking of 58 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Africa

Tomatoes — Production 26.38 million t (2024)
Bananas — Production 31.26 million t (2024)
Meat of pig with the bone, fresh or chilled — Producing 47.50 million An (2024)
Meat of pig with the bone, fresh or chilled — Production 2.37 million t (2024)
Meat of pig with the bone, fresh or chilled — Yield/Carcass Weight 50 kg/An (2024)
Bananas — Area harvested 2.29 million ha (2024)
Unmanufactured tobacco — Production 706,446 t (2024)
Tomatoes — Area harvested 1.67 million ha (2024)
Tomatoes — Yield 15,779 kg/ha (2024)
Unmanufactured tobacco — Area harvested 613,627 ha (2024)

All data for Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is arable and permanent cropland in Africa?: Arable and permanent cropland in Africa was 257.28 million hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
What is the highest arable and permanent cropland recorded in Africa?: The highest recorded value was 257.28 million hectares in 2011.
What is the lowest arable and permanent cropland recorded in Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 168.84 million hectares in 1961.
How does Africa rank for arable and permanent cropland?: Africa ranks 1st out of 2 groups with data for 2011.
Is arable and permanent cropland rising or falling in Africa?: Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Africa data come from?: The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Arable and permanent cropland (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Arable and permanent cropland in Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Retrieved 19 August 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/arable-and-permanent-cropland-hectares/africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Arable and permanent cropland (hectares)
Unit: hectares
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 58 places, 2,926 data points, 1961–2011
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

This land category is the sum of areas under “Arable land” and "Permanent crops”. 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