Arable land in South Africa
South Africa: Arable land was 12.00 million hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
12.00 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
24th
of 206 countries
All-time high
13.81 million hectares
in 2000
All-time low
12.00 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Arable land in South Africa, 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
South Africa recorded 12.00 million hectares for arable land in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in South Africa peaked at 13.81 million hectares in 2000 and was at its lowest, 12.00 million hectares, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 24th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Arable land in South Africa, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 12.00 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 12.05 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 12.10 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 12.15 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 12.20 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 12.21 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 12.22 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 12.23 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 12.24 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 12.24 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 12.25 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 12.26 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 12.27 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 12.28 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 12.29 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 12.30 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 12.31 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 12.32 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 12.33 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 12.34 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 12.34 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 12.36 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 12.36 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 12.36 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 12.36 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 12.60 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 12.55 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 12.60 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 12.70 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 12.80 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 12.90 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 13.16 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 13.43 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 13.45 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 13.50 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 13.65 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 13.70 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 13.70 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 13.76 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 13.81 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 13.69 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 13.70 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 13.60 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 13.30 million hectares | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 13.18 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 12.60 million hectares | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 12.60 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 12.80 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 12.66 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 12.53 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 12.03 million hectares | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 12.00 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 12.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.15 million hectares | 12.00 million hectares | 12.24 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 12.29 million hectares | 12.24 million hectares | 12.33 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.45 million hectares | 12.34 million hectares | 12.70 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.40 million hectares | 12.80 million hectares | 13.76 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.19 million hectares | 12.60 million hectares | 13.81 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.06 million hectares | 12.00 million hectares | 12.53 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.00 million hectares | 12.00 million hectares | 12.00 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 21 Iran, Islamic Republic of 15.70 million hectares compare
- 22 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.90 million hectares compare
- 23 Tanzania, United Republic of 13.50 million hectares compare
- 25 Germany 11.68 million hectares compare
- 26 Spain 11.50 million hectares compare
- 27 Poland 11.20 million hectares 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)
- Agriculture share gdp 2.83 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 2.83 (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in South Africa?
- Arable land in South Africa was 12.00 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 13.81 million hectares in 2000.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.00 million hectares in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for arable land?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is arable land 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 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 — 63 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.