Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre was 9.89 hectares per square kilometre in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
9.89 hectares per square kilometre
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
104th
of 206 countries
All-time high
11.39 hectares per square kilometre
in 2000
All-time low
9.89 hectares per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in South Africa is 9.89 hectares per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 11.39 hectares per square kilometre in 2000 and was at its lowest, 9.89 hectares per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 104th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | hectares per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 9.93 hectares per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 9.97 hectares per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 10.02 hectares per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 10.06 hectares per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 10.06 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 10.07 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 10.08 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 10.09 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 10.09 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 10.1 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 10.11 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 10.12 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 10.12 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 10.13 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 10.14 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 10.15 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 10.15 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 10.16 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 10.17 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 10.18 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 10.18 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 10.18 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 10.18 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 10.18 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 10.39 hectares per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 10.35 hectares per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 10.39 hectares per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 10.47 hectares per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 10.55 hectares per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 10.63 hectares per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 10.85 hectares per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 11.07 hectares per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 11.09 hectares per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 11.13 hectares per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 11.25 hectares per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 11.29 hectares per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 11.29 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 11.34 hectares per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 11.39 hectares per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 11.28 hectares per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 11.29 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 11.21 hectares per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 10.96 hectares per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 10.86 hectares per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 10.39 hectares per square kilometre | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 10.39 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 10.55 hectares per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 10.44 hectares per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 10.33 hectares per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 9.92 hectares per square kilometre | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 9.89 hectares per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9.89 hectares per square kilometre, 1.0× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 9.89 hectares per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.33 hectares per square kilometre, 87% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.02 hectares per square kilometre | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | 10.09 hectares per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.13 hectares per square kilometre | 10.09 hectares per square kilometre | 10.16 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.27 hectares per square kilometre | 10.17 hectares per square kilometre | 10.47 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.05 hectares per square kilometre | 10.55 hectares per square kilometre | 11.34 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.88 hectares per square kilometre | 10.39 hectares per square kilometre | 11.39 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.94 hectares per square kilometre | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | 10.33 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | 9.89 hectares per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 101 Eswatini 10.29 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 102 Portugal 10.12 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 103 Switzerland 10.03 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 105 Iran 9.68 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 106 Indonesia 9.4 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 107 Uzbekistan 9.14 hectares per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Arable land (hectares), per square kilometre in South Africa was 9.89 hectares per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest arable land (hectares), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.39 hectares per square kilometre in 2000.
- What is the lowest arable land (hectares), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.89 hectares per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for arable land (hectares), per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 104th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is arable land (hectares), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa 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.