Arable land (hectares) in Italy
Italy: Arable land (hectares) was 6.95 million hectares in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
6.95 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
37th
of 206 countries
All-time high
12.86 million hectares
in 1961
All-time low
6.60 million hectares
in 2015
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Arable land in Italy, 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
The most recent figure for arable land in Italy is 6.95 million hectares, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in Italy peaked at 12.86 million hectares in 1961 and was at its lowest, 6.60 million hectares, in 2015.
Italy ranks 37th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Arable land (hectares) in Italy, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 12.86 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 12.79 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 12.67 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 12.60 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 12.52 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 12.44 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 12.39 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 12.35 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 12.22 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 11.98 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 9.51 million hectares | -20.6% |
| 1972 | 9.39 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 9.29 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1974 | 9.32 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 9.33 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 9.36 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 9.36 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 9.45 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 9.48 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 9.48 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 9.47 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 9.46 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 9.13 million hectares | -3.5% |
| 1984 | 9.10 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 9.05 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 9.09 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 9.06 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 8.96 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 8.99 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 9.01 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 8.90 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 8.75 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 8.55 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 8.33 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 8.28 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 8.33 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 8.25 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 8.33 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 8.54 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 8.40 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 8.25 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 8.11 million hectares | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 7.96 million hectares | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 7.98 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 7.78 million hectares | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 7.38 million hectares | -5.2% |
| 2007 | 7.17 million hectares | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 7.50 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 6.98 million hectares | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 7.04 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 6.63 million hectares | -5.9% |
| 2012 | 6.91 million hectares | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 6.83 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 6.73 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 6.60 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 6.70 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 6.74 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 6.72 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 6.91 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 7.20 million hectares | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 7.19 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 7.08 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 7.01 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 6.95 million hectares | -0.9% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 6.95 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 177,370 hectares, 39.2× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Italy's 6.95 million hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.32 million hectares, 5.3× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.54 million hectares | 12.22 million hectares | 12.86 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 9.65 million hectares | 9.29 million hectares | 11.98 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.18 million hectares | 8.96 million hectares | 9.48 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.53 million hectares | 8.25 million hectares | 9.01 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.75 million hectares | 6.98 million hectares | 8.40 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.78 million hectares | 6.60 million hectares | 7.04 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.09 million hectares | 6.95 million hectares | 7.20 million hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More agriculture & rural data for Italy
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.6817 % 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 0.1641 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.3673 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.2194 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0207 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 894.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.3131 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in Italy?
- Arable land in Italy was 6.95 million 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 12.86 million hectares in 1961.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.60 million hectares in 2015.
- How does Italy rank for arable land?
- Italy ranks 37th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arable land rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Italy 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
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.