Cropland extent over the long-term in Zambia
Zambia: Cropland extent over the long-term was 3.84 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
3.84 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
66th
of 202 countries
All-time high
3.84 million hectares
in 2017
All-time low
123,361 hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Cropland extent over the long-term in Zambia, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cropland extent over the long-term in Zambia is 3.84 million hectares, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland extent over the long-term in Zambia peaked at 3.84 million hectares in 2017 and was at its lowest, 123,361 hectares, in 1000.
Zambia ranks 66th of 202 countries on this measure, 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 123,361 hectares | — |
| 1100 | 148,033 hectares | +20.0% |
| 1200 | 172,705 hectares | +16.7% |
| 1300 | 197,377 hectares | +14.3% |
| 1400 | 222,049 hectares | +12.5% |
| 1500 | 246,722 hectares | +11.1% |
| 1600 | 267,693 hectares | +8.5% |
| 1700 | 488,558 hectares | +82.5% |
| 1710 | 538,798 hectares | +10.3% |
| 1720 | 589,039 hectares | +9.3% |
| 1730 | 639,279 hectares | +8.5% |
| 1740 | 689,520 hectares | +7.9% |
| 1750 | 739,760 hectares | +7.3% |
| 1760 | 790,001 hectares | +6.8% |
| 1770 | 840,241 hectares | +6.4% |
| 1780 | 890,482 hectares | +6.0% |
| 1790 | 940,722 hectares | +5.6% |
| 1800 | 990,962 hectares | +5.3% |
| 1810 | 1.04 million hectares | +5.1% |
| 1820 | 1.09 million hectares | +4.8% |
| 1830 | 1.14 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1840 | 1.19 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 1850 | 1.24 million hectares | +4.2% |
| 1860 | 1.25 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1870 | 1.26 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1880 | 1.28 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1890 | 1.32 million hectares | +3.1% |
| 1900 | 1.30 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1910 | 1.23 million hectares | -5.8% |
| 1920 | 1.18 million hectares | -3.9% |
| 1930 | 1.37 million hectares | +16.1% |
| 1940 | 1.57 million hectares | +14.9% |
| 1950 | 1.88 million hectares | +19.5% |
| 1951 | 1.93 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1952 | 1.98 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 1953 | 2.03 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 1954 | 2.09 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1955 | 2.15 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1956 | 2.21 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1957 | 2.27 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 2.34 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1959 | 2.41 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 2.48 million hectares | +3.1% |
| 1961 | 2.56 million hectares | +3.1% |
| 1962 | 2.56 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 2.58 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 2.61 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 2.61 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 2.67 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 2.68 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 2.71 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 2.74 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 2.77 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 2.90 million hectares | +4.7% |
| 1972 | 2.91 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 2.92 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 2.95 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 2.94 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 2.92 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 2.89 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 2.73 million hectares | -5.5% |
| 1979 | 2.32 million hectares | -15.2% |
| 1980 | 2.35 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 2.40 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 2.46 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 2.52 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 2.57 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 2.63 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 2.68 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 2.74 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 2.80 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 2.91 million hectares | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 2.91 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2.78 million hectares | -4.6% |
| 1992 | 2.80 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 2.80 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 2.87 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 2.87 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 2.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.87 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 2.87 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 2.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2.88 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 2.75 million hectares | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 2.62 million hectares | -5.0% |
| 2003 | 2.91 million hectares | +11.2% |
| 2004 | 2.90 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 2.76 million hectares | -4.7% |
| 2006 | 3.05 million hectares | +10.4% |
| 2007 | 2.98 million hectares | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 3.09 million hectares | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 3.59 million hectares | +16.2% |
| 2010 | 3.44 million hectares | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 3.64 million hectares | +5.8% |
| 2012 | 3.84 million hectares | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 3.74 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 3.74 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3.74 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3.74 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3.84 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 3.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 3.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3.84 million hectares | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 3.84 million hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.01 million hectares, 1.3× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 3.84 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.31 million hectares, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cropland extent over the long-term in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1700 | +82.5% | 267,693 hectares | 488,558 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 123,361 hectares | 123,361 hectares | 123,361 hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 148,033 hectares | 148,033 hectares | 148,033 hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 172,705 hectares | 172,705 hectares | 172,705 hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 197,377 hectares | 197,377 hectares | 197,377 hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 222,049 hectares | 222,049 hectares | 222,049 hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 246,722 hectares | 246,722 hectares | 246,722 hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 267,693 hectares | 267,693 hectares | 267,693 hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 488,558 hectares | 488,558 hectares | 488,558 hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 538,798 hectares | 538,798 hectares | 538,798 hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 589,039 hectares | 589,039 hectares | 589,039 hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 639,279 hectares | 639,279 hectares | 639,279 hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 689,520 hectares | 689,520 hectares | 689,520 hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 739,760 hectares | 739,760 hectares | 739,760 hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 790,001 hectares | 790,001 hectares | 790,001 hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 840,241 hectares | 840,241 hectares | 840,241 hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 890,482 hectares | 890,482 hectares | 890,482 hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 940,722 hectares | 940,722 hectares | 940,722 hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 990,962 hectares | 990,962 hectares | 990,962 hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.04 million hectares | 1.04 million hectares | 1.04 million hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.09 million hectares | 1.09 million hectares | 1.09 million hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.14 million hectares | 1.14 million hectares | 1.14 million hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.19 million hectares | 1.19 million hectares | 1.19 million hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.24 million hectares | 1.24 million hectares | 1.24 million hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 1.25 million hectares | 1.25 million hectares | 1.25 million hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.26 million hectares | 1.26 million hectares | 1.26 million hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.28 million hectares | 1.28 million hectares | 1.28 million hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.32 million hectares | 1.32 million hectares | 1.32 million hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 1.23 million hectares | 1.23 million hectares | 1.23 million hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.18 million hectares | 1.18 million hectares | 1.18 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.37 million hectares | 1.37 million hectares | 1.37 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.57 million hectares | 1.57 million hectares | 1.57 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.13 million hectares | 1.88 million hectares | 2.41 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.62 million hectares | 2.48 million hectares | 2.74 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.83 million hectares | 2.32 million hectares | 2.95 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.61 million hectares | 2.35 million hectares | 2.91 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.85 million hectares | 2.78 million hectares | 2.91 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.95 million hectares | 2.62 million hectares | 3.59 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.74 million hectares | 3.44 million hectares | 3.84 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.84 million hectares | 3.84 million hectares | 3.84 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0001 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1752 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0008 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.09 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 65.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 54.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cropland extent over the long-term in Zambia?
- Cropland extent over the long-term in Zambia was 3.84 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.84 million hectares in 2017.
- What is the lowest cropland extent over the long-term recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 123,361 hectares in 1000.
- How does Zambia rank for cropland extent over the long-term?
- Zambia ranks 66th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is cropland extent over the long-term rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.