Cropland extent over the long-term in China
China: Cropland extent over the long-term was 133.72 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
133.72 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
3rd
of 202 countries
All-time high
148.40 million hectares
in 1979
All-time low
20.62 million hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Cropland extent over the long-term in China, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2025, cropland extent over the long-term in China stood at 133.72 million hectares.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland extent over the long-term in China peaked at 148.40 million hectares in 1979 and was at its lowest, 20.62 million hectares, in 1000.
That places China 3rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Cropland extent over the long-term in China, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 20.62 million hectares | — |
| 1100 | 49.27 million hectares | +139.0% |
| 1200 | 55.15 million hectares | +11.9% |
| 1300 | 42.35 million hectares | -23.2% |
| 1400 | 37.27 million hectares | -12.0% |
| 1500 | 46.63 million hectares | +25.1% |
| 1600 | 48.81 million hectares | +4.7% |
| 1700 | 50.84 million hectares | +4.2% |
| 1710 | 53.08 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 1720 | 55.54 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1730 | 56.67 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1740 | 57.21 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1750 | 58.15 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1760 | 58.78 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1770 | 59.53 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1780 | 61.04 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1790 | 62.90 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1800 | 64.70 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1810 | 67.45 million hectares | +4.3% |
| 1820 | 70.57 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1830 | 71.64 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1840 | 72.10 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1850 | 72.53 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1860 | 72.79 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1870 | 72.57 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1880 | 72.90 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1890 | 74.86 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 1900 | 76.92 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 1910 | 81.20 million hectares | +5.6% |
| 1920 | 85.49 million hectares | +5.3% |
| 1930 | 89.78 million hectares | +5.0% |
| 1940 | 98.62 million hectares | +9.8% |
| 1950 | 111.80 million hectares | +13.4% |
| 1951 | 113.91 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1952 | 117.61 million hectares | +3.3% |
| 1953 | 118.14 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 118.64 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 121.27 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1956 | 122.89 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 123.31 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 123.78 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1959 | 118.66 million hectares | -4.1% |
| 1960 | 113.92 million hectares | -4.0% |
| 1961 | 112.58 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1962 | 115.85 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 118.71 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 121.92 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 123.20 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 126.77 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 127.47 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 125.86 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1969 | 126.21 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 131.52 million hectares | +4.2% |
| 1971 | 133.39 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 131.62 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 136.10 million hectares | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 137.99 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 139.68 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 140.01 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 139.36 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 143.39 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 148.40 million hectares | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 146.28 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 1981 | 146.28 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 145.96 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 145.74 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 145.35 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 144.83 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 144.10 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 143.48 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 142.99 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 142.70 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 142.67 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 142.77 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 142.75 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 142.45 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 142.13 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 141.71 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 141.35 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 141.17 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 140.97 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 140.56 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 139.63 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 139.01 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 137.37 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 134.99 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 134.13 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 133.77 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 133.53 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 133.47 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 133.46 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 133.43 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 133.35 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 133.37 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 133.33 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 133.37 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 133.31 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 133.37 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 133.33 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 133.33 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 133.45 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 133.51 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 133.52 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 133.56 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 133.60 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 133.64 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 133.68 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 133.72 million hectares | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 133.72 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.01 million hectares, 66.6× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- China's 133.72 million hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.22 million hectares, 110.1× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cropland extent over the long-term in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +139.0% | 20.62 million hectares | 49.27 million hectares |
| 1500 | +25.1% | 37.27 million hectares | 46.63 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 20.62 million hectares | 20.62 million hectares | 20.62 million hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 49.27 million hectares | 49.27 million hectares | 49.27 million hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 55.15 million hectares | 55.15 million hectares | 55.15 million hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 42.35 million hectares | 42.35 million hectares | 42.35 million hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 37.27 million hectares | 37.27 million hectares | 37.27 million hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 46.63 million hectares | 46.63 million hectares | 46.63 million hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 48.81 million hectares | 48.81 million hectares | 48.81 million hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 50.84 million hectares | 50.84 million hectares | 50.84 million hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 53.08 million hectares | 53.08 million hectares | 53.08 million hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 55.54 million hectares | 55.54 million hectares | 55.54 million hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 56.67 million hectares | 56.67 million hectares | 56.67 million hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 57.21 million hectares | 57.21 million hectares | 57.21 million hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 58.15 million hectares | 58.15 million hectares | 58.15 million hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 58.78 million hectares | 58.78 million hectares | 58.78 million hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 59.53 million hectares | 59.53 million hectares | 59.53 million hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 61.04 million hectares | 61.04 million hectares | 61.04 million hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 62.90 million hectares | 62.90 million hectares | 62.90 million hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 64.70 million hectares | 64.70 million hectares | 64.70 million hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 67.45 million hectares | 67.45 million hectares | 67.45 million hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 70.57 million hectares | 70.57 million hectares | 70.57 million hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 71.64 million hectares | 71.64 million hectares | 71.64 million hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 72.10 million hectares | 72.10 million hectares | 72.10 million hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 72.53 million hectares | 72.53 million hectares | 72.53 million hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 72.79 million hectares | 72.79 million hectares | 72.79 million hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 72.57 million hectares | 72.57 million hectares | 72.57 million hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 72.90 million hectares | 72.90 million hectares | 72.90 million hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 74.86 million hectares | 74.86 million hectares | 74.86 million hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 76.92 million hectares | 76.92 million hectares | 76.92 million hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 81.20 million hectares | 81.20 million hectares | 81.20 million hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 85.49 million hectares | 85.49 million hectares | 85.49 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 89.78 million hectares | 89.78 million hectares | 89.78 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 98.62 million hectares | 98.62 million hectares | 98.62 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 119.00 million hectares | 111.80 million hectares | 123.78 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 121.25 million hectares | 112.58 million hectares | 127.47 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 138.15 million hectares | 131.52 million hectares | 148.40 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 144.77 million hectares | 142.70 million hectares | 146.28 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 141.85 million hectares | 140.56 million hectares | 142.77 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 135.28 million hectares | 133.43 million hectares | 139.63 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 133.37 million hectares | 133.31 million hectares | 133.51 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 133.62 million hectares | 133.52 million hectares | 133.72 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0314 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0951 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0082 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.3742 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cropland extent over the long-term in China?
- Cropland extent over the long-term in China was 133.72 million hectares in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cropland extent over the long-term recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 148.40 million hectares in 1979.
- What is the lowest cropland extent over the long-term recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.62 million hectares in 1000.
- How does China rank for cropland extent over the long-term?
- China ranks 3rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is cropland extent over the long-term rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cropland extent over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total cropland area for each separate country over time.