Land area per crop type in China
China: Land area per crop type was 166,529 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
166,529 hectares
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
6th
of 66 countries
All-time high
1.80 million hectares
in 1962
All-time low
160,117 hectares
in 2015
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Land area per crop type in China, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2024, land area per crop type in China stood at 166,529 hectares.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land area per crop type in China peaked at 1.80 million hectares in 1962 and was at its lowest, 160,117 hectares, in 2015.
That places China 6th out of 66 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Land area per crop type in China, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.30 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 1.80 million hectares | +38.5% |
| 1963 | 1.50 million hectares | -16.7% |
| 1964 | 1.30 million hectares | -13.3% |
| 1965 | 1.30 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.40 million hectares | +7.7% |
| 1967 | 1.30 million hectares | -7.1% |
| 1968 | 1.10 million hectares | -15.4% |
| 1969 | 1.30 million hectares | +18.2% |
| 1970 | 1.30 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.27 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1972 | 1.28 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 1.20 million hectares | -6.2% |
| 1974 | 1.20 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.10 million hectares | -8.3% |
| 1976 | 1.10 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.10 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.20 million hectares | +9.1% |
| 1979 | 1.00 million hectares | -16.7% |
| 1980 | 900,000 hectares | -10.0% |
| 1981 | 898,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 800,000 hectares | -10.9% |
| 1983 | 800,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 750,000 hectares | -6.2% |
| 1985 | 700,000 hectares | -6.7% |
| 1986 | 699,000 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 752,000 hectares | +7.6% |
| 1988 | 852,500 hectares | +13.4% |
| 1989 | 800,000 hectares | -6.2% |
| 1990 | 804,500 hectares | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 967,500 hectares | +20.3% |
| 1992 | 996,000 hectares | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 800,000 hectares | -19.7% |
| 1994 | 700,000 hectares | -12.5% |
| 1995 | 760,000 hectares | +8.6% |
| 1996 | 600,000 hectares | -21.1% |
| 1997 | 733,693 hectares | +22.3% |
| 1998 | 607,000 hectares | -17.3% |
| 1999 | 492,500 hectares | -18.9% |
| 2000 | 636,000 hectares | +29.1% |
| 2001 | 501,000 hectares | -21.2% |
| 2002 | 375,000 hectares | -25.1% |
| 2003 | 313,000 hectares | -16.5% |
| 2004 | 280,000 hectares | -10.5% |
| 2005 | 279,000 hectares | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 275,000 hectares | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 288,000 hectares | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 215,000 hectares | -25.3% |
| 2009 | 185,000 hectares | -14.0% |
| 2010 | 180,000 hectares | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 200,000 hectares | +11.1% |
| 2012 | 190,000 hectares | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 180,000 hectares | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 170,000 hectares | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 160,117 hectares | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 170,039 hectares | +6.2% |
| 2017 | 166,719 hectares | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 165,625 hectares | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 167,461 hectares | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 160,756 hectares | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 161,124 hectares | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 168,347 hectares | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 167,441 hectares | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 166,529 hectares | -0.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 166,529 hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,694 hectares, 98.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- China's 166,529 hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 41,335 hectares, 4.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.37 million hectares | 1.10 million hectares | 1.80 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.18 million hectares | 1.00 million hectares | 1.30 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 795,150 hectares | 699,000 hectares | 900,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 746,119 hectares | 492,500 hectares | 996,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 334,700 hectares | 185,000 hectares | 636,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 174,996 hectares | 160,117 hectares | 200,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 164,839 hectares | 160,756 hectares | 168,347 hectares | 5 |
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 land area per crop type in China?
- Land area per crop type in China was 166,529 hectares in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land area per crop type recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.80 million hectares in 1962.
- What is the lowest land area per crop type recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 160,117 hectares in 2015.
- How does China rank for land area per crop type?
- China ranks 6th out of 66 countries with data for 2024.
- Is land area per crop type rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land area per crop type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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