Has the world passed peak agricultural land? in South Africa
South Africa: Has the world passed peak agricultural land? was 78.69 million in 2010. ◆ Volatile
Has the world passed peak agricultural land? in South Africa, 1780–2010
Source: Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for has the world passed peak agricultural land? in South Africa is 78.69 million, measured in 2010.
The figure is down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, has the world passed peak agricultural land? in South Africa peaked at 90.05 million in 1960 and was at its lowest, 1.25 million, in 1850.
That places South Africa 12th out of 179 countries with data for 2010, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Has the world passed peak agricultural land? in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1780 | 1.40 million | — |
| 1790 | 1.40 million | -0.5% |
| 1800 | 1.38 million | -0.9% |
| 1810 | 1.37 million | -1.3% |
| 1820 | 1.35 million | -1.4% |
| 1830 | 1.32 million | -1.9% |
| 1840 | 1.29 million | -2.4% |
| 1850 | 1.25 million | -3.0% |
| 1860 | 2.86 million | +128.7% |
| 1870 | 4.61 million | +61.1% |
| 1880 | 9.09 million | +97.4% |
| 1890 | 11.67 million | +28.4% |
| 1900 | 16.95 million | +45.3% |
| 1910 | 23.80 million | +40.4% |
| 1920 | 30.75 million | +29.2% |
| 1930 | 39.83 million | +29.5% |
| 1940 | 50.68 million | +27.2% |
| 1950 | 69.49 million | +37.1% |
| 1960 | 90.05 million | +29.6% |
| 1970 | 83.68 million | -7.1% |
| 1980 | 81.58 million | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 82.89 million | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 80.43 million | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 78.69 million | -2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 1.40 million | 1.40 million | 1.40 million | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.40 million | 1.40 million | 1.40 million | 1 |
| 1800s | 1.38 million | 1.38 million | 1.38 million | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.37 million | 1.37 million | 1.37 million | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.35 million | 1.35 million | 1.35 million | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.32 million | 1.32 million | 1.32 million | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.29 million | 1.29 million | 1.29 million | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.25 million | 1.25 million | 1.25 million | 1 |
| 1860s | 2.86 million | 2.86 million | 2.86 million | 1 |
| 1870s | 4.61 million | 4.61 million | 4.61 million | 1 |
| 1880s | 9.09 million | 9.09 million | 9.09 million | 1 |
| 1890s | 11.67 million | 11.67 million | 11.67 million | 1 |
| 1900s | 16.95 million | 16.95 million | 16.95 million | 1 |
| 1910s | 23.80 million | 23.80 million | 23.80 million | 1 |
| 1920s | 30.75 million | 30.75 million | 30.75 million | 1 |
| 1930s | 39.83 million | 39.83 million | 39.83 million | 1 |
| 1940s | 50.68 million | 50.68 million | 50.68 million | 1 |
| 1950s | 69.49 million | 69.49 million | 69.49 million | 1 |
| 1960s | 90.05 million | 90.05 million | 90.05 million | 1 |
| 1970s | 83.68 million | 83.68 million | 83.68 million | 1 |
| 1980s | 81.58 million | 81.58 million | 81.58 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 82.89 million | 82.89 million | 82.89 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 80.43 million | 80.43 million | 80.43 million | 1 |
| 2010s | 78.69 million | 78.69 million | 78.69 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is has the world passed peak agricultural land? in South Africa?
- Has the world passed peak agricultural land? in South Africa was 78.69 million in 2010, according to Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest has the world passed peak agricultural land? recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 90.05 million in 1960.
- What is the lowest has the world passed peak agricultural land? recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.25 million in 1850.
- How does South Africa rank for has the world passed peak agricultural land??
- South Africa ranks 12th out of 179 countries with data for 2010.
- Is has the world passed peak agricultural land? rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Has the world passed peak agricultural land?. 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
Agricultural land is the sum of cropland and pasture used for grazing livestock. This is shown for three sources, which use different methods of estimation. While they disagree on how much land is used for agriculture, and the exact date that it peaked, they do all agree that we have passed the peak.