Land area per crop type in South Africa
South Africa: Land area per crop type was 1,782 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1,782
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
41st
of 66 countries
All-time high
131,000
in 1967
All-time low
1,300
in 2003
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Land area per crop type in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for land area per crop type in South Africa is 1,782, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land area per crop type in South Africa peaked at 131,000 in 1967 and was at its lowest, 1,300, in 2003.
That places South Africa 41st out of 66 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Land area per crop type in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 50,000 | — |
| 1962 | 54,000 | +8.0% |
| 1963 | 62,000 | +14.8% |
| 1964 | 86,000 | +38.7% |
| 1965 | 106,000 | +23.3% |
| 1966 | 126,000 | +18.9% |
| 1967 | 131,000 | +4.0% |
| 1968 | 110,000 | -16.0% |
| 1969 | 99,000 | -10.0% |
| 1970 | 24,000 | -75.8% |
| 1971 | 25,000 | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 33,000 | +32.0% |
| 1973 | 32,000 | -3.0% |
| 1974 | 35,000 | +9.4% |
| 1975 | 28,000 | -20.0% |
| 1976 | 28,000 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 20,000 | -28.6% |
| 1978 | 20,000 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 33,000 | +65.0% |
| 1980 | 30,000 | -9.1% |
| 1981 | 36,000 | +20.0% |
| 1982 | 33,000 | -8.3% |
| 1983 | 32,000 | -3.0% |
| 1984 | 30,000 | -6.2% |
| 1985 | 26,000 | -13.3% |
| 1986 | 28,000 | +7.7% |
| 1987 | 26,000 | -7.1% |
| 1988 | 36,000 | +38.5% |
| 1989 | 90,000 | +150.0% |
| 1990 | 60,000 | -33.3% |
| 1991 | 65,000 | +8.3% |
| 1992 | 34,000 | -47.7% |
| 1993 | 45,000 | +32.4% |
| 1994 | 47,000 | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 46,530 | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 46,300 | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 40,000 | -13.6% |
| 1998 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 16,276 | -59.3% |
| 2000 | 4,334 | -73.4% |
| 2001 | 4,319 | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 1,500 | -65.3% |
| 2003 | 1,300 | -13.3% |
| 2004 | 2,000 | +53.8% |
| 2005 | 2,200 | +10.0% |
| 2006 | 3,400 | +54.5% |
| 2007 | 3,500 | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 3,577 | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 2,424 | -32.2% |
| 2010 | 2,133 | -12.0% |
| 2011 | 2,299 | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 2,290 | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 2,222 | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 1,891 | -14.9% |
| 2015 | 1,569 | -17.0% |
| 2016 | 1,894 | +20.7% |
| 2017 | 1,779 | -6.1% |
| 2018 | 1,747 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 1,807 | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 1,778 | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 1,777 | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 1,787 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 1,781 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 1,782 | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 91,556 | 50,000 | 131,000 | 9 |
| 1970s | 27,800 | 20,000 | 35,000 | 10 |
| 1980s | 36,700 | 26,000 | 90,000 | 10 |
| 1990s | 44,011 | 16,276 | 65,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,855 | 1,300 | 4,334 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,963 | 1,569 | 2,299 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,781 | 1,777 | 1,787 | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 38 Brazil 3,360 compare
- 39 North Macedonia 3,189 compare
- 40 Switzerland 1,970 compare
- 42 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,606 compare
- 43 Netherlands 1,490 compare
- 44 Luxembourg 1,320 compare
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)
- Agriculture share gdp 2.83 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 2.83 (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land area per crop type in South Africa?
- Land area per crop type in South Africa was 1,782 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land area per crop type recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 131,000 in 1967.
- What is the lowest land area per crop type recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,300 in 2003.
- How does South Africa rank for land area per crop type?
- South Africa ranks 41st out of 66 countries with data for 2024.
- Is land area per crop type rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Land area per crop type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).