Arable and permanent cropland in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria

Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria: Arable and permanent cropland was 177.13 million hectares in 2011. ▲ Rising

Latest (2011)
177.13 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
5th
of 6 groups
All-time high
177.13 million hectares
in 2011
All-time low
105.03 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
51
1961–2011

Arable and permanent cropland in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria, 1961–2011

050.0M100.0M150.0M200.0M196119862011

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for arable and permanent cropland in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria is 177.13 million hectares, measured in 2011. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 18.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, arable and permanent cropland in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria peaked at 177.13 million hectares in 2011 and was at its lowest, 105.03 million hectares, in 1961.

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

Arable and permanent cropland in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Arable and permanent cropland (hectares) in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria, 1961 to 2011.
Year hectares Change
1961 105.03 million hectares
1962 106.31 million hectares +1.2%
1963 108.18 million hectares +1.8%
1964 109.37 million hectares +1.1%
1965 110.54 million hectares +1.1%
1966 111.20 million hectares +0.6%
1967 111.96 million hectares +0.7%
1968 113.64 million hectares +1.5%
1969 114.62 million hectares +0.9%
1970 114.99 million hectares +0.3%
1971 116.11 million hectares +1.0%
1972 117.07 million hectares +0.8%
1973 117.34 million hectares +0.2%
1974 117.23 million hectares -0.1%
1975 118.66 million hectares +1.2%
1976 119.75 million hectares +0.9%
1977 120.26 million hectares +0.4%
1978 121.90 million hectares +1.4%
1979 122.14 million hectares +0.2%
1980 122.53 million hectares +0.3%
1981 122.48 million hectares -0.0%
1982 123.25 million hectares +0.6%
1983 124.07 million hectares +0.7%
1984 124.56 million hectares +0.4%
1985 127.31 million hectares +2.2%
1986 127.87 million hectares +0.4%
1987 127.93 million hectares +0.1%
1988 129.24 million hectares +1.0%
1989 130.24 million hectares +0.8%
1990 131.66 million hectares +1.1%
1991 132.96 million hectares +1.0%
1992 134.43 million hectares +1.1%
1993 137.47 million hectares +2.3%
1994 138.49 million hectares +0.7%
1995 141.25 million hectares +2.0%
1996 143.38 million hectares +1.5%
1997 144.81 million hectares +1.0%
1998 145.50 million hectares +0.5%
1999 146.55 million hectares +0.7%
2000 146.68 million hectares +0.1%
2001 149.59 million hectares +2.0%
2002 150.34 million hectares +0.5%
2003 156.22 million hectares +3.9%
2004 157.30 million hectares +0.7%
2005 162.05 million hectares +3.0%
2006 163.38 million hectares +0.8%
2007 165.60 million hectares +1.4%
2008 171.84 million hectares +3.8%
2009 173.66 million hectares +1.1%
2010 175.89 million hectares +1.3%
2011 177.13 million hectares +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 110.09 million hectares 105.03 million hectares 114.62 million hectares 9
1970s 118.55 million hectares 114.99 million hectares 122.14 million hectares 10
1980s 125.95 million hectares 122.48 million hectares 130.24 million hectares 10
1990s 139.65 million hectares 131.66 million hectares 146.55 million hectares 10
2000s 159.67 million hectares 146.68 million hectares 173.66 million hectares 10
2010s 176.51 million hectares 175.89 million hectares 177.13 million hectares 2

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria

  1. 2 Sudan 19.02 million hectares compare
  2. 3 Ethiopia 15.68 million hectares compare
  3. 4 Niger 15.00 million hectares compare
  4. 5 Tanzania, United Republic of 13.30 million hectares compare
  5. 6 South Africa 12.45 million hectares compare
  6. 7 Morocco 9.10 million hectares compare
  7. 8 Uganda 8.95 million hectares compare

See the full ranking of 58 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is arable and permanent cropland in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria?
Arable and permanent cropland in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria was 177.13 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 Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 177.13 million hectares in 2011.
What is the lowest arable and permanent cropland recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 105.03 million hectares in 1961.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria rank for arable and permanent cropland?
Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria ranks 5th out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
Is arable and permanent cropland rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 18.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria 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 Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/arable-and-permanent-cropland-hectares/sub-saharan-africa-excluding-south-africa-and-nigeria/

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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

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