Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in Ireland
Ireland: Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre was 6.37 hectares per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
6.37 hectares per square kilometre
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
125th
of 206 countries
All-time high
9.46 hectares per square kilometre
in 1961
All-time low
5.69 hectares per square kilometre
in 1991
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in Ireland, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in Ireland stood at 6.37 hectares per square kilometre.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in Ireland peaked at 9.46 hectares per square kilometre in 1961 and was at its lowest, 5.69 hectares per square kilometre, in 1991.
Ireland ranks 125th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in Ireland, year by year
| Year | hectares per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 9.46 hectares per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 9.39 hectares per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1963 | 8.93 hectares per square kilometre | -4.9% |
| 1964 | 8.5 hectares per square kilometre | -4.8% |
| 1965 | 8.23 hectares per square kilometre | -3.1% |
| 1966 | 7.45 hectares per square kilometre | -9.6% |
| 1967 | 7.67 hectares per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 7.69 hectares per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 7.48 hectares per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 7.73 hectares per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 7.77 hectares per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 7.4 hectares per square kilometre | -4.8% |
| 1973 | 7 hectares per square kilometre | -5.4% |
| 1974 | 6.83 hectares per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 1975 | 6.64 hectares per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 1976 | 6.88 hectares per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 7.3 hectares per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1978 | 7.36 hectares per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 7.52 hectares per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 8.03 hectares per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1981 | 7.71 hectares per square kilometre | -4.0% |
| 1982 | 7.51 hectares per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 7.22 hectares per square kilometre | -3.8% |
| 1984 | 7.47 hectares per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 7.32 hectares per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 6.76 hectares per square kilometre | -7.7% |
| 1987 | 6.36 hectares per square kilometre | -6.0% |
| 1988 | 6.11 hectares per square kilometre | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 6.02 hectares per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 5.73 hectares per square kilometre | -4.8% |
| 1991 | 5.69 hectares per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 5.7 hectares per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 5.86 hectares per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 5.81 hectares per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 5.76 hectares per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 5.86 hectares per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 6.17 hectares per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 6.47 hectares per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 6.78 hectares per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 7.09 hectares per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 7.39 hectares per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 7.52 hectares per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 7.71 hectares per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 7.57 hectares per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 7.09 hectares per square kilometre | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 6.78 hectares per square kilometre | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 6.76 hectares per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 7.05 hectares per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 6.71 hectares per square kilometre | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 6.37 hectares per square kilometre | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 6.66 hectares per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 7.01 hectares per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 6.88 hectares per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 6.75 hectares per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 6.58 hectares per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 6.69 hectares per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 6.69 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 6.55 hectares per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 6.43 hectares per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 6.45 hectares per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 6.33 hectares per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 6.47 hectares per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 6.37 hectares per square kilometre | -1.6% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 6.37 hectares per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.62 hectares per square kilometre, 84% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 6.37 hectares per square kilometre is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 16.64 hectares per square kilometre, 38% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.31 hectares per square kilometre | 7.45 hectares per square kilometre | 9.46 hectares per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.24 hectares per square kilometre | 6.64 hectares per square kilometre | 7.77 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.05 hectares per square kilometre | 6.02 hectares per square kilometre | 8.03 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.98 hectares per square kilometre | 5.69 hectares per square kilometre | 6.78 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.17 hectares per square kilometre | 6.71 hectares per square kilometre | 7.71 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.66 hectares per square kilometre | 6.37 hectares per square kilometre | 7.01 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.41 hectares per square kilometre | 6.33 hectares per square kilometre | 6.47 hectares per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 122 British Virgin Islands 6.67 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 123 Brazil 6.66 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 124 Democratic Republic of Congo 6.57 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 126 Sweden 6.2 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 127 Tajikistan 6.08 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 128 Eritrea 5.69 hectares per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for Ireland
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 22.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0106 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,391 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.9559 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3541 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in Ireland?
- Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in Ireland was 6.37 hectares per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest arable land (hectares), per square kilometre recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 9.46 hectares per square kilometre in 1961.
- What is the lowest arable land (hectares), per square kilometre recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.69 hectares per square kilometre in 1991.
- How does Ireland rank for arable land (hectares), per square kilometre?
- Ireland ranks 125th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is arable land (hectares), per square kilometre rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Arable land (hectares) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Arable land (hectares) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Arable land FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Arable land (hectares) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.