Arable land in Mali
Mali: Arable land was 8.34 million hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Arable land in Mali, 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
In 2023, arable land in Mali stood at 8.34 million hectares. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in Mali peaked at 8.34 million hectares in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.64 million hectares, in 1961.
That places Mali 30th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arable land in Mali, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.64 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 1.64 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 1.65 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 1.65 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 1.66 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 1.66 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 1.67 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 1.67 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.67 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.72 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 1.72 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.72 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.72 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.77 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 1.82 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 2.02 million hectares | +10.9% |
| 1977 | 2.02 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 2.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 2.01 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 2.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 2.01 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 2.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2.03 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.04 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 2.04 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.05 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 2.05 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.05 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2.06 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 2.16 million hectares | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 3.06 million hectares | +41.5% |
| 1994 | 3.16 million hectares | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 3.31 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 4.53 million hectares | +37.1% |
| 1997 | 4.53 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4.53 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4.53 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 4.53 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4.53 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4.90 million hectares | +8.2% |
| 2003 | 5.94 million hectares | +21.3% |
| 2004 | 4.90 million hectares | -17.5% |
| 2005 | 5.60 million hectares | +14.3% |
| 2006 | 5.68 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 5.81 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 6.03 million hectares | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 6.26 million hectares | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 6.26 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 6.45 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 6.64 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 6.83 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 7.02 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 7.21 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 7.40 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 7.58 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 7.77 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 7.96 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 8.15 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 8.34 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 8.34 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 8.34 million hectares | +0.0% |
Mali compared with similar countries
- Mali's 8.34 million hectares is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.00 million hectares, 2.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Mali's 8.34 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.83 million hectares, 3.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arable land in Mali 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +41.5% | 2.16 million hectares | 3.06 million hectares |
| 1996 | +37.1% | 3.31 million hectares | 4.53 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.66 million hectares | 1.64 million hectares | 1.67 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.85 million hectares | 1.72 million hectares | 2.02 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.03 million hectares | 2.01 million hectares | 2.05 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.39 million hectares | 2.05 million hectares | 4.53 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.42 million hectares | 4.53 million hectares | 6.26 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.11 million hectares | 6.26 million hectares | 7.96 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.29 million hectares | 8.15 million hectares | 8.34 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Mali
- 27 Poland 11.20 million hectares compare
- 28 Myanmar 11.01 million hectares compare
- 29 Romania 8.41 million hectares compare
- 31 Burkina Faso 7.91 million hectares compare
- 32 Bangladesh 7.88 million hectares compare
- 33 Afghanistan 7.85 million hectares compare
More agriculture & rural data for Mali
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3302 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 394.01 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6779 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 33.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 33.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 8.4% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.4% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in Mali?
- Arable land in Mali was 8.34 million 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 Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 8.34 million hectares in 2021.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.64 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Mali rank for arable land?
- Mali ranks 30th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is arable land rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mali 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.