Arable land in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Arable land was 10.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Arable land in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and website, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arable land in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) is 10.9%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 37.9% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 10.9%, in 2022.
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 19th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arable land in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 37.0% | — |
| 1962 | 37.0% | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 37.4% | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 37.4% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 37.2% | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 37.3% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 37.1% | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 37.9% | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 37.6% | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 37.6% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 37.9% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 37.9% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 37.6% | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 37.4% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 37.3% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 37.5% | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 37.5% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 37.9% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 37.5% | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 37.6% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 36.7% | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 36.3% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 37.0% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 37.0% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 37.0% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 37.3% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 37.2% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 36.8% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 36.7% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 36.6% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 12.0% | -67.3% |
| 1993 | 11.9% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 11.8% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 11.8% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 11.6% | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 11.7% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 11.6% | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 11.5% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 11.4% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 11.3% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 11.2% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 11.1% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 11.1% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 11.0% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 11.1% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 11.0% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 11.0% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 11.0% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 10.9% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 10.9% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 10.9% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 10.9% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 10.9% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 10.9% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 10.9% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 10.9% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 10.9% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 10.9% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 10.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 10.9% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 10.9% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 10.9% | +0.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arable land in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -67.3% | 36.6% | 12.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 37.3% | 37.0% | 37.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 37.6% | 37.3% | 37.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.1% | 36.3% | 37.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.7% | 11.5% | 36.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.1% | 11.0% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.9% | 10.9% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.9% | 10.9% | 10.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
More agriculture & rural data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3085 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 4.2% (2025)
- Rural population 142.68 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.3% (2025)
- Rural population 30.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.6% (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 644.43 current US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 12.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0421 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Arable land in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 10.9% in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and website, 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 Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 37.9% in 1972.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.9% in 2022.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for arable land?
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is arable land rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and website, 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 (% of land area). 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 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.