Cropland area in Rwanda
Rwanda: Cropland area was 1.50 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.50 million hectares
Change on year
down 5.8%
World rank
103rd
of 224 countries
All-time high
1.62 million hectares
in 2021
All-time low
615,000 hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cropland area in Rwanda, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 1.50 million hectares for cropland area in 2023.
The figure is down 5.8% on the previous year and down 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland area in Rwanda peaked at 1.62 million hectares in 2021 and was at its lowest, 615,000 hectares, in 1961.
Rwanda ranks 103rd of 224 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Cropland area in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 615,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 625,000 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 635,000 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 645,000 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 655,000 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 665,000 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 675,000 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 683,000 hectares | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 697,000 hectares | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 704,000 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 748,000 hectares | +6.2% |
| 1972 | 808,000 hectares | +8.0% |
| 1973 | 805,000 hectares | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 884,000 hectares | +9.8% |
| 1975 | 912,000 hectares | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 939,000 hectares | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 965,000 hectares | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 980,000 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 997,000 hectares | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 1.01 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 1.06 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 1.07 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 1.09 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 1.11 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 1.12 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 1.13 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 1.14 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 1.15 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 1.15 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 1.18 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 1.19 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 1.19 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.16 million hectares | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 1.00 million hectares | -13.0% |
| 1995 | 1.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.06 million hectares | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 1.11 million hectares | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 1.13 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 1.17 million hectares | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 1.31 million hectares | +11.4% |
| 2001 | 1.41 million hectares | +7.7% |
| 2002 | 1.42 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 1.43 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 1.43 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 1.43 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 1.43 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 1.44 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 1.44 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 1.47 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 1.49 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 1.52 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 1.54 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 1.57 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 1.60 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 1.60 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 1.60 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.60 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 1.54 million hectares | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 1.50 million hectares | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 1.56 million hectares | +3.9% |
| 2021 | 1.62 million hectares | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 1.59 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 1.50 million hectares | -5.8% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 1.50 million hectares is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.60 million hectares, 42% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 1.50 million hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.21 million hectares, 47% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 655,000 hectares | 615,000 hectares | 697,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 874,200 hectares | 704,000 hectares | 997,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.10 million hectares | 1.01 million hectares | 1.15 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.12 million hectares | 1.00 million hectares | 1.19 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.42 million hectares | 1.31 million hectares | 1.47 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.56 million hectares | 1.49 million hectares | 1.60 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.57 million hectares | 1.50 million hectares | 1.62 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More agriculture & rural data for Rwanda
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.203 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 228.16 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6953 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6909 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 20.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 20.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cropland area in Rwanda?
- Cropland area in Rwanda was 1.50 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 1.62 million hectares in 2021.
- What is the lowest cropland area recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 615,000 hectares in 1961.
- How does Rwanda rank for cropland area?
- Rwanda ranks 103rd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cropland area rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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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