Cropland extent over the long-term in South Korea
South Korea: Cropland extent over the long-term was 1.48 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.48 million hectares
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
99th
of 202 countries
All-time high
2.79 million hectares
in 1820
All-time low
897,997 hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Cropland extent over the long-term in South Korea, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 1.48 million hectares for cropland extent over the long-term in 2025.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland extent over the long-term in South Korea peaked at 2.79 million hectares in 1820 and was at its lowest, 897,997 hectares, in 1000.
That places South Korea 99th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Cropland extent over the long-term in South Korea, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 897,997 hectares | — |
| 1100 | 1.04 million hectares | +15.7% |
| 1200 | 1.33 million hectares | +28.0% |
| 1300 | 951,542 hectares | -28.4% |
| 1400 | 1.05 million hectares | +10.5% |
| 1500 | 1.13 million hectares | +7.1% |
| 1600 | 1.30 million hectares | +15.3% |
| 1700 | 1.46 million hectares | +12.3% |
| 1710 | 1.58 million hectares | +8.5% |
| 1720 | 1.67 million hectares | +5.7% |
| 1730 | 1.77 million hectares | +5.7% |
| 1740 | 1.86 million hectares | +5.6% |
| 1750 | 1.97 million hectares | +5.5% |
| 1760 | 2.07 million hectares | +5.4% |
| 1770 | 2.19 million hectares | +5.4% |
| 1780 | 2.30 million hectares | +5.3% |
| 1790 | 2.42 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 1800 | 2.54 million hectares | +5.0% |
| 1810 | 2.67 million hectares | +4.9% |
| 1820 | 2.79 million hectares | +4.8% |
| 1830 | 2.76 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1840 | 2.69 million hectares | -2.4% |
| 1850 | 2.62 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 1860 | 2.57 million hectares | -2.0% |
| 1870 | 2.51 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1880 | 2.43 million hectares | -3.2% |
| 1890 | 2.34 million hectares | -3.7% |
| 1900 | 2.24 million hectares | -4.3% |
| 1910 | 2.16 million hectares | -3.7% |
| 1920 | 2.35 million hectares | +9.1% |
| 1930 | 2.54 million hectares | +7.8% |
| 1940 | 2.53 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1950 | 2.57 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1951 | 2.54 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 1952 | 2.51 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1953 | 2.49 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1954 | 2.48 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1955 | 2.46 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1956 | 2.43 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1957 | 2.39 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 1958 | 2.32 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 1959 | 2.23 million hectares | -4.0% |
| 1960 | 2.10 million hectares | -6.1% |
| 1961 | 2.10 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2.06 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 1963 | 2.08 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 2.17 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 1965 | 2.26 million hectares | +3.9% |
| 1966 | 2.29 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 2.31 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 2.32 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 2.31 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 2.30 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 2.27 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 2.24 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 2.24 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1974 | 2.24 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 2.24 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 2.24 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 2.23 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 2.22 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 2.21 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 2.20 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 2.19 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 2.18 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 2.17 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 2.15 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 2.14 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 2.14 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 2.14 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 2.14 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 2.13 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 2.11 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 2.09 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 2.07 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 2.06 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 2.03 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 1.99 million hectares | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 1.95 million hectares | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 1.92 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 1.91 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 1.90 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 1.92 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 1.89 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 1.86 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 1.85 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 1.84 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 1.82 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 1.80 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 1.78 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 1.76 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 1.74 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 1.72 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 1.70 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 1.73 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 1.71 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 1.69 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 1.68 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 1.64 million hectares | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 1.62 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 1.60 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 1.58 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 1.56 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 1.55 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 1.53 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 1.51 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 1.50 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 1.48 million hectares | -1.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.48 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 666,510 hectares, 2.2× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.48 million hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.22 million hectares, 1.2× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cropland extent over the long-term in South Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1200 | +28.0% | 1.04 million hectares | 1.33 million hectares |
| 1300 | -28.4% | 1.33 million hectares | 951,542 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 897,997 hectares | 897,997 hectares | 897,997 hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 1.04 million hectares | 1.04 million hectares | 1.04 million hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 1.33 million hectares | 1.33 million hectares | 1.33 million hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 951,542 hectares | 951,542 hectares | 951,542 hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 1.05 million hectares | 1.05 million hectares | 1.05 million hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 1.13 million hectares | 1.13 million hectares | 1.13 million hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.46 million hectares | 1.46 million hectares | 1.46 million hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.58 million hectares | 1.58 million hectares | 1.58 million hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.67 million hectares | 1.67 million hectares | 1.67 million hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.77 million hectares | 1.77 million hectares | 1.77 million hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.86 million hectares | 1.86 million hectares | 1.86 million hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 1.97 million hectares | 1.97 million hectares | 1.97 million hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 2.07 million hectares | 2.07 million hectares | 2.07 million hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.19 million hectares | 2.19 million hectares | 2.19 million hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 2.30 million hectares | 2.30 million hectares | 2.30 million hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 2.42 million hectares | 2.42 million hectares | 2.42 million hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 2.54 million hectares | 2.54 million hectares | 2.54 million hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 2.67 million hectares | 2.67 million hectares | 2.67 million hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 2.79 million hectares | 2.79 million hectares | 2.79 million hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 2.76 million hectares | 2.76 million hectares | 2.76 million hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 2.69 million hectares | 2.69 million hectares | 2.69 million hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 2.62 million hectares | 2.62 million hectares | 2.62 million hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 2.57 million hectares | 2.57 million hectares | 2.57 million hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 2.51 million hectares | 2.51 million hectares | 2.51 million hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 2.43 million hectares | 2.43 million hectares | 2.43 million hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 2.34 million hectares | 2.34 million hectares | 2.34 million hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 2.24 million hectares | 2.24 million hectares | 2.24 million hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 2.16 million hectares | 2.16 million hectares | 2.16 million hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 2.35 million hectares | 2.35 million hectares | 2.35 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 2.54 million hectares | 2.54 million hectares | 2.54 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 2.53 million hectares | 2.53 million hectares | 2.53 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.44 million hectares | 2.23 million hectares | 2.57 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.20 million hectares | 2.06 million hectares | 2.32 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.24 million hectares | 2.21 million hectares | 2.30 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.16 million hectares | 2.13 million hectares | 2.20 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.00 million hectares | 1.90 million hectares | 2.11 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.83 million hectares | 1.74 million hectares | 1.92 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.67 million hectares | 1.58 million hectares | 1.73 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.52 million hectares | 1.48 million hectares | 1.56 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More agriculture & rural data for South Korea
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -1.14 % 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 0.0286 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -1.1 % 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 0.0297 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.2516 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0146 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 530.46 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1591 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cropland extent over the long-term in South Korea?
- Cropland extent over the long-term in South Korea was 1.48 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.79 million hectares in 1820.
- What is the lowest cropland extent over the long-term recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 897,997 hectares in 1000.
- How does South Korea rank for cropland extent over the long-term?
- South Korea ranks 99th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is cropland extent over the long-term rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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.