Cropland area in China
China: Cropland area was 155.67 million in 2010. ▲ Rising
Cropland area in China, 1780–2010
Source: Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cropland area in China is 155.67 million, measured in 2010. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland area in China peaked at 155.67 million in 2010 and was at its lowest, 78.42 million, in 1780.
China ranks 3rd of 179 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Cropland area in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1780 | 78.42 million | — |
| 1790 | 80.04 million | +2.1% |
| 1800 | 81.65 million | +2.0% |
| 1810 | 84.25 million | +3.2% |
| 1820 | 85.85 million | +1.9% |
| 1830 | 86.33 million | +0.6% |
| 1840 | 86.94 million | +0.7% |
| 1850 | 87.41 million | +0.5% |
| 1860 | 87.10 million | -0.3% |
| 1870 | 86.62 million | -0.6% |
| 1880 | 86.73 million | +0.1% |
| 1890 | 89.31 million | +3.0% |
| 1900 | 91.49 million | +2.4% |
| 1910 | 94.48 million | +3.3% |
| 1920 | 97.52 million | +3.2% |
| 1930 | 99.72 million | +2.3% |
| 1940 | 100.27 million | +0.5% |
| 1950 | 100.83 million | +0.6% |
| 1960 | 101.45 million | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 98.90 million | -2.5% |
| 1980 | 96.70 million | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 124.81 million | +29.1% |
| 2000 | 141.75 million | +13.6% |
| 2010 | 155.67 million | +9.8% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 155.67 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.99 million, 78.1× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- China's 155.67 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.12 million, 139.2× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cropland area 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +29.1% | 96.70 million | 124.81 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 78.42 million | 78.42 million | 78.42 million | 1 |
| 1790s | 80.04 million | 80.04 million | 80.04 million | 1 |
| 1800s | 81.65 million | 81.65 million | 81.65 million | 1 |
| 1810s | 84.25 million | 84.25 million | 84.25 million | 1 |
| 1820s | 85.85 million | 85.85 million | 85.85 million | 1 |
| 1830s | 86.33 million | 86.33 million | 86.33 million | 1 |
| 1840s | 86.94 million | 86.94 million | 86.94 million | 1 |
| 1850s | 87.41 million | 87.41 million | 87.41 million | 1 |
| 1860s | 87.10 million | 87.10 million | 87.10 million | 1 |
| 1870s | 86.62 million | 86.62 million | 86.62 million | 1 |
| 1880s | 86.73 million | 86.73 million | 86.73 million | 1 |
| 1890s | 89.31 million | 89.31 million | 89.31 million | 1 |
| 1900s | 91.49 million | 91.49 million | 91.49 million | 1 |
| 1910s | 94.48 million | 94.48 million | 94.48 million | 1 |
| 1920s | 97.52 million | 97.52 million | 97.52 million | 1 |
| 1930s | 99.72 million | 99.72 million | 99.72 million | 1 |
| 1940s | 100.27 million | 100.27 million | 100.27 million | 1 |
| 1950s | 100.83 million | 100.83 million | 100.83 million | 1 |
| 1960s | 101.45 million | 101.45 million | 101.45 million | 1 |
| 1970s | 98.90 million | 98.90 million | 98.90 million | 1 |
| 1980s | 96.70 million | 96.70 million | 96.70 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 124.81 million | 124.81 million | 124.81 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 141.75 million | 141.75 million | 141.75 million | 1 |
| 2010s | 155.67 million | 155.67 million | 155.67 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- 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)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cropland area in China?
- Cropland area in China was 155.67 million in 2010, according to Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cropland area recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 155.67 million in 2010.
- What is the lowest cropland area recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.42 million in 1780.
- How does China rank for cropland area?
- China ranks 3rd out of 179 countries with data for 2010.
- Is cropland area rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Cropland area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Cropland is land used to grow crops, excluding pasture used for livestock grazing.