Cropland area in China
China: Cropland area was 127.58 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
127.58 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
4th
of 224 countries
All-time high
135.38 million hectares
in 2009
All-time low
99.31 million hectares
in 1980
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cropland area in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
China recorded 127.58 million hectares for cropland area in 2023.
That represents a change of down 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland area in China peaked at 135.38 million hectares in 2009 and was at its lowest, 99.31 million hectares, in 1980.
That places China 4th out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Cropland area in China, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 104.35 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 104.10 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 103.95 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 103.80 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 103.60 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 103.20 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 102.80 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 102.40 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 102.00 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 101.60 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 101.25 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 100.87 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 100.48 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 101.10 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 99.71 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 99.60 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 99.50 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 99.39 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 99.35 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 99.31 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 100.00 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 105.00 million hectares | +5.0% |
| 1983 | 110.80 million hectares | +5.5% |
| 1984 | 117.80 million hectares | +6.3% |
| 1985 | 125.00 million hectares | +6.1% |
| 1986 | 126.50 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 127.20 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 128.20 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 129.70 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 131.30 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 132.38 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 130.70 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 130.00 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 130.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 130.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 130.04 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 130.04 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 130.04 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 130.04 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 130.04 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 130.63 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 131.23 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 131.82 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 132.41 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 133.01 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 133.60 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 134.20 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 134.79 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 135.38 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 134.63 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 133.88 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 133.13 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 132.38 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 131.62 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 130.87 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 130.12 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 129.37 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 128.61 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 127.86 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 127.77 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 127.58 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 127.58 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 127.58 million hectares | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 127.58 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.58 million hectares, 81.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 127.58 million hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 141,800 hectares, 899.7× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 103.36 million hectares | 102.00 million hectares | 104.35 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 100.28 million hectares | 99.35 million hectares | 101.60 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 116.95 million hectares | 99.31 million hectares | 129.70 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 130.45 million hectares | 130.00 million hectares | 132.38 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 132.71 million hectares | 130.04 million hectares | 135.38 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 131.25 million hectares | 127.86 million hectares | 134.63 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 127.63 million hectares | 127.58 million hectares | 127.77 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cropland area in China?
- Cropland area in China was 127.58 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cropland area recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 135.38 million hectares in 2009.
- What is the lowest cropland area recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 99.31 million hectares in 1980.
- How does China rank for cropland area?
- China ranks 4th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cropland area rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cropland area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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