Arable land in Bhutan
Bhutan: Arable land was 100,000 hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat
Arable land in Bhutan, 1961–2023
Source: 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). Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 100,000 hectares for arable land in 2023.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in Bhutan peaked at 167,000 hectares in 2005 and was at its lowest, 94,000 hectares, in 2018.
Bhutan ranks 147th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Arable land in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 100,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 110,000 hectares | +10.0% |
| 1971 | 110,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 110,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 110,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 115,000 hectares | +4.5% |
| 1975 | 115,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 120,000 hectares | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 125,000 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1980 | 130,000 hectares | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 130,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 135,000 hectares | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 145,000 hectares | +7.4% |
| 1984 | 145,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 145,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 145,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 146,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 141,000 hectares | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 133,000 hectares | -5.7% |
| 1990 | 135,000 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 135,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 135,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 136,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 140,000 hectares | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 146,000 hectares | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 151,000 hectares | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 153,000 hectares | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 153,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 153,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 154,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 155,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 156,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 157,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 158,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 167,000 hectares | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 151,300 hectares | -9.4% |
| 2007 | 136,300 hectares | -9.9% |
| 2008 | 100,000 hectares | -26.6% |
| 2009 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 100,600 hectares | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 100,200 hectares | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 100,200 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 100,200 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 100,200 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 100,200 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 100,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 94,500 hectares | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 94,000 hectares | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 94,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 95,500 hectares | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 97,000 hectares | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 98,500 hectares | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 100,000 hectares | +1.5% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 100,000 hectares is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.60 million hectares, 4% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 100,000 hectares is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.59 million hectares, 6% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arable land in Bhutan 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 | -26.6% | 136,300 hectares | 100,000 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 100,000 hectares | 100,000 hectares | 100,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 115,500 hectares | 110,000 hectares | 125,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 139,500 hectares | 130,000 hectares | 146,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 143,700 hectares | 135,000 hectares | 153,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 143,460 hectares | 100,000 hectares | 167,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 98,410 hectares | 94,000 hectares | 100,600 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 97,750 hectares | 95,500 hectares | 100,000 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More agriculture & rural data for Bhutan
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 3.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1368 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 614.64 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8653 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5657 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 13.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 13.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in Bhutan?
- Arable land in Bhutan was 100,000 hectares in 2023, according to 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).
- What is the highest arable land recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 167,000 hectares in 2005.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 94,000 hectares in 2018.
- How does Bhutan rank for arable land?
- Bhutan ranks 147th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is arable land rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from 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), published as part of Arable land (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Arable land (in hectares) 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 market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.