Arable land in South Asia
South Asia: Arable land was 49.3% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Arable land in South Asia, 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
In 2023, arable land in South Asia stood at 49.3%. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in South Asia peaked at 52.5% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 49.3%, in 2023.
South Asia ranks 1st of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
Arable land in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 49.7% | — |
| 1962 | 50.0% | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 50.3% | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 50.4% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 50.6% | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 50.7% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 51.1% | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 51.1% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 51.1% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 51.3% | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 51.1% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 51.3% | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 51.6% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 51.8% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 51.9% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 52.0% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 52.0% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 52.4% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 52.4% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 52.2% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 52.2% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 52.3% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 52.2% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 52.5% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 52.4% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 52.5% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 52.5% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 52.4% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 52.0% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 52.0% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 52.0% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 51.9% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 51.6% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 51.8% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 51.7% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 51.6% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 51.6% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 51.4% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 51.4% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 51.2% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 51.1% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 51.1% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 50.8% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 50.6% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 50.6% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 50.6% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 50.3% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 50.3% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 50.2% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 50.1% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 50.1% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 50.1% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 50.1% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 49.9% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 49.8% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 49.8% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 49.5% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 49.4% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 50.5% | 49.7% | 51.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 51.8% | 51.1% | 52.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.4% | 52.2% | 52.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.0% | 51.6% | 52.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.0% | 50.6% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.1% | 49.8% | 50.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.4% | 49.3% | 49.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 1 Bangladesh 60.6% compare
- 2 Denmark 59.1% compare
- 3 Ukraine 56.8% compare
- 4 Republic of Moldova 56.8% compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Asia
- Rural population, per capita 0.6421 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 15.6% (2025)
- Rural population 1.09 billion (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.4% (2025)
- Rural population 64.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.0% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 421.99 current US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.156 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in South Asia?
- Arable land in South Asia was 49.3% 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 Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 52.5% in 1989.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.3% in 2023.
- How does South Asia rank for arable land?
- South Asia ranks 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is arable land rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Asia 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.