Arable land (hectares) in Botswana
Botswana: Arable land (hectares) was 260,000 hectares in 2024. ▼ Falling
Arable land in Botswana, 1961–2024
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
In 2024, arable land in Botswana stood at 260,000 hectares.
The figure is down 35.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in Botswana peaked at 420,000 hectares in 1990 and was at its lowest, 182,000 hectares, in 2007.
That places Botswana 137th out of 206 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Arable land (hectares) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 399,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 399,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 399,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 399,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 400,000 hectares | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 400,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 400,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 400,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 400,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 400,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 400,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 401,000 hectares | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 401,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 403,000 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 403,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 403,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 405,000 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 405,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 405,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 407,000 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 407,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 409,000 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 409,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 414,000 hectares | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 420,000 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 405,000 hectares | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 390,000 hectares | -3.7% |
| 1993 | 375,000 hectares | -3.8% |
| 1994 | 360,000 hectares | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 345,000 hectares | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 345,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 323,570 hectares | -6.2% |
| 1998 | 302,140 hectares | -6.6% |
| 1999 | 280,710 hectares | -7.1% |
| 2000 | 259,290 hectares | -7.6% |
| 2001 | 237,860 hectares | -8.3% |
| 2002 | 216,430 hectares | -9.0% |
| 2003 | 195,000 hectares | -9.9% |
| 2004 | 226,000 hectares | +15.9% |
| 2005 | 213,500 hectares | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 201,000 hectares | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 182,000 hectares | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 279,000 hectares | +53.3% |
| 2009 | 316,000 hectares | +13.3% |
| 2010 | 259,000 hectares | -18.0% |
| 2011 | 324,000 hectares | +25.1% |
| 2012 | 285,000 hectares | -12.0% |
| 2013 | 280,000 hectares | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 402,000 hectares | +43.6% |
| 2015 | 259,600 hectares | -35.4% |
| 2016 | 259,600 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 259,600 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 259,600 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 260,000 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 260,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 260,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 260,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 260,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 260,000 hectares | +0.0% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 260,000 hectares is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.04 million hectares, 25% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 260,000 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.83 million hectares, 9% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arable land (hectares) 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 | +53.3% | 182,000 hectares | 279,000 hectares |
| 2014 | +43.6% | 280,000 hectares | 402,000 hectares |
| 2015 | -35.4% | 402,000 hectares | 259,600 hectares |
| 2011 | +25.1% | 259,000 hectares | 324,000 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 399,556 hectares | 399,000 hectares | 400,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 401,000 hectares | 400,000 hectares | 403,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 406,700 hectares | 403,000 hectares | 414,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 354,642 hectares | 280,710 hectares | 420,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 232,608 hectares | 182,000 hectares | 316,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 284,840 hectares | 259,000 hectares | 402,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 260,000 hectares | 260,000 hectares | 260,000 hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More agriculture & rural data for Botswana
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0305 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1024 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0004 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0013 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 10.09 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in Botswana?
- Arable land in Botswana was 260,000 hectares in 2024, 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 Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 420,000 hectares in 1990.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 182,000 hectares in 2007.
- How does Botswana rank for arable land?
- Botswana ranks 137th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arable land rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana 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.
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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.