Land area equipped for irrigation in South Africa
South Africa: Land area equipped for irrigation was 1.60 million hectares in 2011. ▲ Rising
Land area equipped for irrigation in South Africa, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.60 million hectares for land area equipped for irrigation in 2011. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.1% on the previous year and up 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land area equipped for irrigation in South Africa peaked at 1.60 million hectares in 2011 and was at its lowest, 808,000 hectares, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 3rd of 52 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Land area equipped for irrigation in South Africa, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 808,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 830,000 hectares | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 850,000 hectares | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 870,000 hectares | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 890,000 hectares | +2.3% |
| 1966 | 900,000 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 920,000 hectares | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 950,000 hectares | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 980,000 hectares | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 1.00 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 1.02 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 1.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1.04 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 1.06 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 1.08 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 1.10 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 1.13 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 1.13 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.13 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.13 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.13 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.13 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.20 million hectares | +6.4% |
| 1987 | 1.20 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.20 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.20 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.20 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.20 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.24 million hectares | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 1.27 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 1.27 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.35 million hectares | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 1.40 million hectares | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 1.50 million hectares | +7.0% |
| 1998 | 1.49 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 1.50 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 1.50 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.50 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 1.51 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 1.51 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.51 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 1.52 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 1.52 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 1.53 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 1.53 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 1.53 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 1.54 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 1.60 million hectares | +4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 888,667 hectares | 808,000 hectares | 980,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.04 million hectares | 1.00 million hectares | 1.10 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.16 million hectares | 1.13 million hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.34 million hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 1.50 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.52 million hectares | 1.50 million hectares | 1.53 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.57 million hectares | 1.54 million hectares | 1.60 million hectares | 2 |
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 land area equipped for irrigation in South Africa?
- Land area equipped for irrigation in South Africa was 1.60 million hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest land area equipped for irrigation recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.60 million hectares in 2011.
- What is the lowest land area equipped for irrigation recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 808,000 hectares in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for land area equipped for irrigation?
- South Africa ranks 3rd out of 52 countries with data for 2011.
- Is land area equipped for irrigation rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Land area equipped for irrigation (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Area equipped to provide water (via irrigation) to the crops. It includes areas equipped for full and partial control irrigation, equipped lowland areas, pastures, and areas equipped for spate irrigation. Data are expressed in 1000 hectares.