Cropland area in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Cropland area was 6.09 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
6.09 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
48th
of 224 countries
All-time high
7.47 million hectares
in 1964
All-time low
5.70 million hectares
in 2001
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cropland area in United Kingdom, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, cropland area in United Kingdom stood at 6.09 million hectares.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland area in United Kingdom peaked at 7.47 million hectares in 1964 and was at its lowest, 5.70 million hectares, in 2001.
United Kingdom ranks 48th of 224 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Cropland area in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 7.29 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 7.35 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 7.40 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 7.47 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 7.45 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 7.43 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 7.42 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 7.38 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 7.26 million hectares | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 7.20 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 7.23 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 7.22 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 7.16 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 7.15 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 6.95 million hectares | -2.8% |
| 1976 | 6.97 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 7.00 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 7.01 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 6.91 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 7.00 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 6.98 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 6.99 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 6.97 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 6.99 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 7.06 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 7.01 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 7.00 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 6.95 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 6.77 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 6.69 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 6.63 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 6.62 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 6.15 million hectares | -7.0% |
| 1994 | 5.97 million hectares | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 5.99 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 6.15 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 6.42 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 6.31 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 5.97 million hectares | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 5.93 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 5.70 million hectares | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 5.84 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 5.71 million hectares | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 5.87 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 5.78 million hectares | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 6.14 million hectares | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 6.13 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 6.05 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 6.09 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 6.02 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 6.11 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 6.26 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 6.31 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 6.28 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 6.06 million hectares | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 6.07 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 6.13 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 6.08 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 6.13 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 6.02 million hectares | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 6.06 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 6.08 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 6.09 million hectares | +0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 6.09 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 20.1× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 6.09 million hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.39 million hectares, 4.4× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.38 million hectares | 7.26 million hectares | 7.47 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.08 million hectares | 6.91 million hectares | 7.23 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.97 million hectares | 6.77 million hectares | 7.06 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.29 million hectares | 5.97 million hectares | 6.69 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.92 million hectares | 5.70 million hectares | 6.14 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.14 million hectares | 6.02 million hectares | 6.31 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.06 million hectares | 6.02 million hectares | 6.09 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More agriculture & rural data for United Kingdom
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 368.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1852 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1668 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cropland area in United Kingdom?
- Cropland area in United Kingdom was 6.09 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 7.47 million hectares in 1964.
- What is the lowest cropland area recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.70 million hectares in 2001.
- How does United Kingdom rank for cropland area?
- United Kingdom ranks 48th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cropland area rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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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