Arable land in South Africa
South Africa: Arable land was 9.9% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Arable land in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 9.9%, measured 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 11.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 9.9%, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 104th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Arable land in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 9.9% | — |
| 1962 | 9.9% | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 10.0% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 10.0% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 10.1% | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 10.2% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 10.2% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 10.2% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 10.3% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 10.4% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 10.5% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 10.6% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 10.6% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 10.9% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 11.1% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 11.1% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 11.1% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 11.3% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 11.3% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 11.3% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 11.3% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 11.4% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 11.3% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 11.3% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 11.2% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 11.0% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 10.9% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 10.4% | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 10.4% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 10.6% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 10.4% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 10.3% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 9.9% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 9.9% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9.9% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.0% | 9.9% | 10.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.1% | 10.1% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.3% | 10.2% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.1% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.9% | 10.4% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.9% | 9.9% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9% | 9.9% | 9.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 101 Eswatini 10.3% compare
- 102 Portugal 10.1% compare
- 103 Switzerland 10.0% compare
- 105 Iran, Islamic Republic of 9.7% compare
- 106 Indonesia 9.4% compare
- 107 Uzbekistan 9.1% 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)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (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 9.9% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.9% in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for arable land?
- South Africa ranks 104th 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 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.