Arable land in Switzerland
Switzerland: Arable land was 396,421 hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
396,421 hectares
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
130th
of 206 countries
All-time high
422,150 hectares
in 1995
All-time low
355,900 hectares
in 1970
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Arable land in Switzerland, 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
Switzerland recorded 396,421 hectares for arable land in 2023.
The figure is down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in Switzerland peaked at 422,150 hectares in 1995 and was at its lowest, 355,900 hectares, in 1970.
Switzerland ranks 130th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Arable land in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 396,100 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 397,700 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 387,900 hectares | -2.5% |
| 1964 | 383,800 hectares | -1.1% |
| 1965 | 377,700 hectares | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 371,000 hectares | -1.8% |
| 1967 | 363,400 hectares | -2.0% |
| 1968 | 359,700 hectares | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 360,000 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 355,900 hectares | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 356,900 hectares | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 363,000 hectares | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 362,800 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 365,400 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 368,900 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 369,500 hectares | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 369,900 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 375,300 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 376,937 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 380,637 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 384,642 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 388,946 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 394,504 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 402,359 hectares | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 404,441 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 404,093 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 398,706 hectares | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 402,242 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 408,608 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 403,090 hectares | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 407,548 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 406,087 hectares | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 409,861 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 419,193 hectares | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 422,150 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 420,297 hectares | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 414,858 hectares | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 412,749 hectares | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 409,882 hectares | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 408,038 hectares | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 408,765 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 407,595 hectares | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 406,267 hectares | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 405,776 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 405,412 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 406,159 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 405,880 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 405,489 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 405,214 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 403,749 hectares | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 403,051 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 403,018 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 402,902 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 399,442 hectares | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 398,399 hectares | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 398,695 hectares | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 398,184 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 398,139 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 398,794 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 399,842 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 395,465 hectares | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 396,599 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 396,421 hectares | -0.0% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 396,421 hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 178,890 hectares, 2.2× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 396,421 hectares is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.32 million hectares, 30% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 377,478 hectares | 359,700 hectares | 397,700 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 366,454 hectares | 355,900 hectares | 376,937 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 396,918 hectares | 380,637 hectares | 408,608 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 412,572 hectares | 403,090 hectares | 422,150 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 406,460 hectares | 405,214 hectares | 408,765 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 400,437 hectares | 398,139 hectares | 403,749 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 397,082 hectares | 395,465 hectares | 399,842 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 127 Gambia 440,000 hectares compare
- 128 Ireland 439,000 hectares compare
- 129 North Macedonia 416,000 hectares compare
- 131 Guinea-Bissau 395,530 hectares compare
- 132 Bosnia and Herzegovina 370,000 hectares compare
- 133 Lesotho 356,748 hectares compare
More agriculture & rural data for Switzerland
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 739.83 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8806 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1427 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in Switzerland?
- Arable land in Switzerland was 396,421 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 422,150 hectares in 1995.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 355,900 hectares in 1970.
- How does Switzerland rank for arable land?
- Switzerland ranks 130th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is arable land rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.