Arable land (% of land area) by country
Arable land 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.
Countries reporting
206
Highest
60.6%
Bangladesh
Lowest
0.1%
Faroe Islands
Median
10.0%
Years covered
63
1961–2023
Data points
14,832
What the numbers show
Arable land (% of land area) is currently reported for 206 countries. The highest value is 60.6% in Bangladesh; the lowest is 0.1% in Faroe Islands.
The median across all reporting countries is 10.0%, and the mean is 13.9%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 1,187.
Over the past decade 78 countries rose and 81 fell. The largest increase was in Oman (up 131.1%), and the largest decrease in Northern Mariana Islands (down 68.0%).
Arable land: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangladesh | 60.6% | 2023 | up 2.3% | falling |
| 2 | Denmark | 59.1% | 2023 | down 1.8% | falling |
| 3 | Ukraine | 56.8% | 2023 | up 0.4% | flat |
| 4 | Republic of Moldova | 56.8% | 2023 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 5 | India | 51.8% | 2023 | down 1.6% | flat |
| 6 | Burundi | 51.4% | 2023 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 7 | Togo | 48.7% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Rwanda | 47.0% | 2023 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 9 | Hungary | 45.4% | 2023 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 10 | Gambia | 43.5% | 2023 | down 2.2% | rising |
| 11 | Malawi | 42.4% | 2023 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 12 | Isle of Man | 41.1% | 2023 | up 7.0% | flat |
| 13 | Nigeria | 40.5% | 2023 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 14 | Pakistan | 39.3% | 2023 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 15 | Mauritius | 37.6% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Lithuania | 36.8% | 2023 | up 0.7% | falling |
| 17 | Poland | 36.6% | 2023 | up 3.8% | falling |
| 18 | Romania | 36.5% | 2023 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 19 | Haiti | 36.5% | 2023 | down 14.8% | rising |
| 20 | Comoros | 34.9% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | El Salvador | 34.8% | 2023 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 22 | Uganda | 34.4% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 23 | Germany | 33.4% | 2023 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 24 | San Marino | 33.1% | 2023 | up 98.5% | rising |
| 25 | Czechia | 32.7% | 2023 | up 1.0% | falling |
| 26 | Bulgaria | 32.1% | 2023 | up 0.2% | falling |
| 27 | Benin | 31.4% | 2023 | up 31.3% | rising |
| 28 | France | 31.4% | 2023 | down 7.7% | flat |
| 29 | Thailand | 31.0% | 2023 | down 8.7% | rising |
| 30 | Serbia | 31.0% | 2023 | up 4.5% | flat |
| 31 | Netherlands | 30.0% | 2023 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 32 | Burkina Faso | 28.9% | 2023 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 33 | Belgium | 28.3% | 2023 | up 5.2% | flat |
| 34 | Cuba | 28.0% | 2023 | down 7.5% | rising |
| 35 | Tonga | 27.8% | 2023 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 36 | Belarus | 27.4% | 2023 | up 0.1% | falling |
| 37 | Slovakia | 27.2% | 2023 | down 4.0% | falling |
| 38 | Türkiye | 26.3% | 2023 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 39 | Azerbaijan | 25.3% | 2023 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 40 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 25.0% | 2023 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 41 | Guinea | 24.4% | 2023 | up 41.4% | rising |
| 42 | Syrian Arab Republic | 24.0% | 2023 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 43 | Italy | 24.0% | 2023 | up 3.8% | falling |
| 44 | Luxembourg | 23.8% | 2023 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 45 | Cambodia | 23.3% | 2023 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 46 | Spain | 23.0% | 2023 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 47 | Malta | 22.8% | 2023 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 48 | Sri Lanka | 22.2% | 2023 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 49 | Sierra Leone | 21.9% | 2023 | up 0.0% | volatile |
| 50 | Latvia | 21.9% | 2023 | up 12.6% | rising |
| 51 | Albania | 21.6% | 2023 | down 4.3% | rising |
| 52 | Viet Nam | 21.5% | 2023 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 53 | Ghana | 20.7% | 2023 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 54 | Dominican Republic | 20.2% | 2023 | up 17.7% | flat |
| 55 | Senegal | 19.9% | 2023 | up 16.1% | rising |
| 56 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 19.2% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 57 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 19.1% | 2023 | down 2.3% | rising |
| 58 | Philippines | 18.7% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 59 | Tunisia | 18.2% | 2023 | down 0.8% | falling |
| 60 | Myanmar | 16.9% | 2023 | up 2.2% | rising |
| 61 | Estonia | 16.6% | 2023 | up 13.4% | falling |
| 62 | United States of America | 16.6% | 2023 | down 2.5% | falling |
| 63 | North Macedonia | 16.5% | 2023 | up 0.7% | falling |
| 64 | Barbados | 16.3% | 2023 | down 26.3% | falling |
| 65 | Austria | 16.0% | 2023 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 66 | Armenia | 15.7% | 2023 | down 0.5% | flat |
| 67 | Croatia | 15.5% | 2023 | down 1.0% | falling |
| 68 | Morocco | 15.4% | 2023 | down 15.4% | rising |
| 69 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 15.2% | 2023 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 70 | Côte d'Ivoire | 15.1% | 2023 | up 37.2% | rising |
| 71 | Republic of Korea | 14.9% | 2023 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 72 | Argentina | 14.8% | 2023 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 73 | Ethiopia | 14.5% | 2023 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 74 | Guatemala | 14.5% | 2023 | up 12.7% | rising |
| 75 | Greece | 14.4% | 2023 | down 25.9% | falling |
| 76 | Guinea-Bissau | 14.1% | 2023 | up 31.8% | rising |
| 77 | Niger | 14.0% | 2023 | up 5.4% | rising |
| 78 | Maldives | 13.4% | 2023 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 79 | Lebanon | 13.1% | 2023 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 80 | Cameroon | 13.1% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 81 | Nepal | 12.6% | 2023 | down 14.0% | flat |
| 82 | Uruguay | 12.6% | 2023 | down 4.7% | rising |
| 83 | Israel | 12.5% | 2023 | down 5.0% | falling |
| 84 | Nicaragua | 12.5% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 85 | Cape Verde | 12.4% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | Afghanistan | 12.0% | 2023 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 87 | Lesotho | 11.8% | 2023 | up 43.8% | falling |
| 88 | China | 11.5% | 2023 | down 6.8% | rising |
| 89 | Paraguay | 11.5% | 2023 | up 15.3% | volatile |
| 90 | Iraq | 11.4% | 2023 | up 8.9% | falling |
| 91 | Kenya | 11.4% | 2023 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 92 | Sudan | 11.2% | 2023 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 93 | Aruba | 11.1% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 94 | Japan | 11.1% | 2023 | down 4.6% | falling |
| 95 | Jamaica | 11.1% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Kazakhstan | 11.0% | 2023 | up 0.9% | falling |
| 97 | Liechtenstein | 10.8% | 2023 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 98 | Cyprus | 10.6% | 2023 | up 22.8% | volatile |
| 99 | Zimbabwe | 10.4% | 2023 | down 0.7% | rising |
| 100 | Mexico | 10.3% | 2023 | down 11.0% | rising |
| 101 | Eswatini | 10.3% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 102 | Portugal | 10.1% | 2023 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 103 | Switzerland | 10.0% | 2023 | down 1.6% | rising |
| 104 | South Africa | 9.9% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 105 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 9.7% | 2023 | up 7.3% | flat |
| 106 | Indonesia | 9.4% | 2023 | down 1.2% | rising |
| 107 | Uzbekistan | 9.1% | 2023 | down 1.7% | falling |
| 108 | Honduras | 9.1% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 109 | Antigua and Barbuda | 9.1% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 110 | Slovenia | 8.9% | 2023 | down 3.3% | flat |
| 111 | Grenada | 8.8% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 112 | Dominica | 8.0% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 113 | Panama | 7.6% | 2023 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 114 | Timor-Leste | 7.5% | 2023 | down 2.9% | rising |
| 115 | Russian Federation | 7.4% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 116 | Finland | 7.4% | 2023 | up 0.9% | falling |
| 117 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7.2% | 2023 | down 63.3% | falling |
| 118 | Mozambique | 7.2% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 119 | Palestine, State of | 7.0% | 2023 | down 32.0% | falling |
| 120 | Mali | 6.8% | 2023 | up 22.2% | volatile |
| 121 | Kyrgyzstan | 6.7% | 2023 | up 0.6% | falling |
| 122 | British Virgin Islands | 6.7% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 123 | Brazil | 6.7% | 2023 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 124 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 6.6% | 2023 | up 26.4% | rising |
| 125 | Ireland | 6.4% | 2023 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 126 | Sweden | 6.2% | 2023 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 127 | Tajikistan | 6.1% | 2023 | up 10.7% | flat |
| 128 | Eritrea | 5.7% | 2023 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 129 | Puerto Rico | 5.7% | 2023 | down 7.4% | volatile |
| 130 | Bermuda | 5.6% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 131 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 5.3% | 2023 | down 18.3% | rising |
| 132 | Liberia | 5.2% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 133 | Madagascar | 5.2% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 134 | American Samoa | 5.2% | 2023 | up 15.7% | rising |
| 135 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 5.1% | 2023 | up 14.5% | rising |
| 136 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 5.1% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 137 | Zambia | 5.1% | 2023 | up 2.7% | rising |
| 138 | Trinidad and Tobago | 4.9% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 139 | Belize | 4.4% | 2023 | up 28.2% | rising |
| 140 | Saint Lucia | 4.4% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 141 | Georgia | 4.4% | 2023 | down 26.9% | falling |
| 142 | Canada | 4.3% | 2023 | up 3.0% | flat |
| 143 | Angola | 4.3% | 2023 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 144 | Chad | 4.2% | 2023 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 145 | Fiji | 4.2% | 2023 | up 13.9% | falling |
| 146 | Sao Tome and Principe | 4.2% | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 147 | Ecuador | 4.1% | 2023 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 148 | Australia | 4.0% | 2023 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 149 | South Sudan | 3.9% | 2023 | down 4.9% | falling |
| 150 | Samoa | 3.9% | 2023 | down 54.6% | rising |
| 151 | Turkmenistan | 3.4% | 2023 | down 14.6% | rising |
| 152 | Costa Rica | 3.3% | 2023 | down 28.0% | falling |
| 153 | Algeria | 3.2% | 2023 | up 0.5% | rising |
| 154 | Egypt | 3.1% | 2023 | up 14.6% | rising |
| 155 | Peru | 3.1% | 2023 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 156 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 2.9% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 157 | Central African Republic | 2.9% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 158 | Micronesia, Federated States of | 2.9% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 159 | Marshall Islands | 2.8% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 160 | Bahrain | 2.6% | 2023 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 161 | Bhutan | 2.6% | 2023 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 162 | United States Virgin Islands | 2.6% | 2023 | down 10.0% | volatile |
| 163 | Kiribati | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 164 | Malaysia | 2.4% | 2023 | down 2.3% | falling |
| 165 | Colombia | 2.3% | 2023 | up 73.4% | falling |
| 166 | Jordan | 2.3% | 2023 | down 11.7% | falling |
| 167 | Norway | 2.2% | 2023 | down 0.4% | flat |
| 168 | Yemen | 2.2% | 2023 | down 3.6% | falling |
| 169 | New Zealand | 2.0% | 2023 | down 4.9% | rising |
| 170 | Hong Kong, China | 1.9% | 2023 | down 35.5% | falling |
| 171 | Chile | 1.9% | 2023 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 172 | Equatorial Guinea | 1.9% | 2023 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 173 | Guam | 1.9% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 174 | Qatar | 1.8% | 2023 | up 24.1% | volatile |
| 175 | Somalia | 1.8% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 176 | Vanuatu | 1.6% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 177 | Congo | 1.6% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 178 | Saudi Arabia | 1.6% | 2023 | down 1.6% | rising |
| 179 | Andorra | 1.6% | 2023 | down 9.6% | falling |
| 180 | Gabon | 1.3% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 181 | Iceland | 1.2% | 2023 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 182 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 1.1% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 183 | Libya | 1.0% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 184 | Namibia | 1.0% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 185 | Cayman Islands | 0.8% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 186 | Solomon Islands | 0.8% | 2023 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 187 | Bahamas | 0.8% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 188 | Singapore | 0.8% | 2023 | down 3.3% | volatile |
| 189 | Brunei Darussalam | 0.8% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 190 | Mongolia | 0.7% | 2023 | down 11.2% | rising |
| 191 | Papua New Guinea | 0.7% | 2023 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 192 | French Polynesia | 0.7% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 193 | United Arab Emirates | 0.7% | 2023 | up 34.4% | volatile |
| 194 | Montenegro | 0.7% | 2023 | up 16.0% | volatile |
| 195 | Palau | 0.7% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 196 | Guyana | 0.5% | 2023 | down 6.8% | flat |
| 197 | Botswana | 0.5% | 2023 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 198 | Kuwait | 0.4% | 2023 | down 31.0% | volatile |
| 199 | Mauritania | 0.4% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 200 | Suriname | 0.3% | 2023 | down 11.7% | rising |
| 201 | New Caledonia | 0.3% | 2023 | down 0.5% | falling |
| 202 | Seychelles | 0.3% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 203 | Oman | 0.3% | 2023 | up 131.1% | volatile |
| 204 | Northern Mariana Islands | 0.2% | 2023 | down 68.0% | volatile |
| 205 | Djibouti | 0.1% | 2023 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 206 | Faroe Islands | 0.1% | 2023 | up 11.5% | flat |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- South Asia 49.3%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 49.3%
- European Union 24.4%
- Euro area 23.3%
- Central Europe and the Baltics 33.0%
- IDA blend 19.2%
- Lower middle income 18.3%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 17.8%
- Early-demographic dividend 12.7%
- Africa Western and Central 12.6%
- Middle income 12.3%
- Europe & Central Asia 12.3%
- IDA total 11.9%
- Low & middle income 11.8%
- Post-demographic dividend 11.2%
- IDA & IBRD total 11.1%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 11.0%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 10.9%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 10.9%
- IBRD only 10.7%
- World 10.7%
- North America 10.6%
- Pre-demographic dividend 10.4%
- OECD members 10.3%
- IDA only 10.2%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 10.0%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 10.0%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 10.0%
- Upper middle income 9.8%
- Least developed countries 9.7%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 9.6%
- Low income 9.4%
- High income 9.0%
- Late-demographic dividend 8.8%
- East Asia & Pacific 8.7%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 8.6%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 8.6%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 8.5%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 7.8%
- Latin America & Caribbean 7.5%
About this data
Arable land 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.