Arable and permanent cropland in Botswana
Botswana: Arable and permanent cropland was 261,000 hectares in 2011. ▼ Falling
Arable and permanent cropland in Botswana, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arable and permanent cropland in Botswana is 261,000 hectares, measured in 2011.
That represents a change of up 29.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable and permanent cropland in Botswana peaked at 421,000 hectares in 1990 and was at its lowest, 184,000 hectares, in 2007.
That places Botswana 45th out of 52 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Arable and permanent cropland in Botswana, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 400,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 400,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 400,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 400,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 401,000 hectares | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 402,000 hectares | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 402,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 402,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 402,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 402,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 402,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 402,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 404,000 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 404,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 404,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 406,000 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 406,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 406,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 408,000 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 408,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 410,000 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 410,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 415,000 hectares | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 421,000 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 301,000 hectares | -28.5% |
| 1992 | 251,000 hectares | -16.6% |
| 1993 | 351,000 hectares | +39.8% |
| 1994 | 396,000 hectares | +12.8% |
| 1995 | 346,000 hectares | -12.6% |
| 1996 | 346,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 301,000 hectares | -13.0% |
| 1998 | 231,000 hectares | -23.3% |
| 1999 | 241,000 hectares | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 351,000 hectares | +45.6% |
| 2001 | 201,000 hectares | -42.7% |
| 2002 | 246,000 hectares | +22.4% |
| 2003 | 196,000 hectares | -20.3% |
| 2004 | 226,000 hectares | +15.3% |
| 2005 | 241,500 hectares | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 203,000 hectares | -15.9% |
| 2007 | 184,000 hectares | -9.4% |
| 2008 | 281,000 hectares | +52.7% |
| 2009 | 318,000 hectares | +13.2% |
| 2010 | 261,000 hectares | -17.9% |
| 2011 | 261,000 hectares | +0.0% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 261,000 hectares is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 378,000 hectares, 69% of the median. (8 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 261,000 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.88 million hectares, 9% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arable and permanent cropland in Botswana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +52.7% | 184,000 hectares | 281,000 hectares |
| 2000 | +45.6% | 241,000 hectares | 351,000 hectares |
| 2001 | -42.7% | 351,000 hectares | 201,000 hectares |
| 1993 | +39.8% | 251,000 hectares | 351,000 hectares |
| 1991 | -28.5% | 421,000 hectares | 301,000 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 400,556 hectares | 400,000 hectares | 401,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 402,000 hectares | 401,000 hectares | 404,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 407,700 hectares | 404,000 hectares | 415,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 318,500 hectares | 231,000 hectares | 421,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 244,750 hectares | 184,000 hectares | 351,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 261,000 hectares | 261,000 hectares | 261,000 hectares | 2 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
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 arable and permanent cropland in Botswana?
- Arable and permanent cropland in Botswana was 261,000 hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest arable and permanent cropland recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 421,000 hectares in 1990.
- What is the lowest arable and permanent cropland recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 184,000 hectares in 2007.
- How does Botswana rank for arable and permanent cropland?
- Botswana ranks 45th out of 52 countries with data for 2011.
- Is arable and permanent cropland rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana 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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About this data
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