What is land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa was 33.49 million hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.

What is the highest land under maize production recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?

The highest recorded value was 33.49 million hectares in 2011.

What is the lowest land under maize production recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 14.37 million hectares in 1961.

How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for land under maize production?

Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 2nd out of 6 groups with data for 2011.

Is land under maize production rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Over the last ten years it is up 47.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?

The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Land under maize production (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa

Name: Land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

Sub-Saharan Africa: Land under maize production was 33.49 million hectares in 2011. ▲ Rising

Latest (2011)

33.49 million hectares

Change on year

up 9.5%

Rank

2nd

of 6 groups

All-time high

33.49 million hectares

in 2011

All-time low

14.37 million hectares

in 1961

Years of data

1961–2011

Land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2011

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 33.49 million hectares for land under maize production in 2011. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

That represents a change of up 9.5% on the previous year and up 47.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 33.49 million hectares in 2011 and was at its lowest, 14.37 million hectares, in 1961.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.

Land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Land under maize production (hectares) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961 to 2011.
Year	hectares	Change
1961	14.37 million hectares	—
1962	14.58 million hectares	+1.5%
1963	14.72 million hectares	+0.9%
1964	15.34 million hectares	+4.2%
1965	15.53 million hectares	+1.3%
1966	15.51 million hectares	-0.2%
1967	16.17 million hectares	+4.3%
1968	16.44 million hectares	+1.7%
1969	16.54 million hectares	+0.6%
1970	16.31 million hectares	-1.4%
1971	16.59 million hectares	+1.7%
1972	17.04 million hectares	+2.7%
1973	16.47 million hectares	-3.4%
1974	17.45 million hectares	+6.0%
1975	17.48 million hectares	+0.2%
1976	17.96 million hectares	+2.8%
1977	17.01 million hectares	-5.3%
1978	16.95 million hectares	-0.3%
1979	16.59 million hectares	-2.1%
1980	16.84 million hectares	+1.5%
1981	16.77 million hectares	-0.4%
1982	17.22 million hectares	+2.7%
1983	18.18 million hectares	+5.5%
1984	18.38 million hectares	+1.1%
1985	19.22 million hectares	+4.6%
1986	21.55 million hectares	+12.1%
1987	22.42 million hectares	+4.0%
1988	22.96 million hectares	+2.4%
1989	23.32 million hectares	+1.6%
1990	23.72 million hectares	+1.7%
1991	23.44 million hectares	-1.2%
1992	23.82 million hectares	+1.6%
1993	24.65 million hectares	+3.5%
1994	25.49 million hectares	+3.4%
1995	23.91 million hectares	-6.2%
1996	24.28 million hectares	+1.5%
1997	24.69 million hectares	+1.7%
1998	23.93 million hectares	-3.1%
1999	23.15 million hectares	-3.3%
2000	23.21 million hectares	+0.2%
2001	22.78 million hectares	-1.8%
2002	24.27 million hectares	+6.5%
2003	27.17 million hectares	+12.0%
2004	26.61 million hectares	-2.1%
2005	27.56 million hectares	+3.6%
2006	27.03 million hectares	-1.9%
2007	26.57 million hectares	-1.7%
2008	29.26 million hectares	+10.1%
2009	28.80 million hectares	-1.6%
2010	30.58 million hectares	+6.2%
2011	33.49 million hectares	+9.5%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	15.47 million hectares	14.37 million hectares	16.54 million hectares	9
1970s	16.99 million hectares	16.31 million hectares	17.96 million hectares	10
1980s	19.69 million hectares	16.77 million hectares	23.32 million hectares	10
1990s	24.11 million hectares	23.15 million hectares	25.49 million hectares	10
2000s	26.33 million hectares	22.78 million hectares	29.26 million hectares	10
2010s	32.03 million hectares	30.58 million hectares	33.49 million hectares	2

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa

1 Nigeria 6.01 million hectares compare
2 Tanzania 3.29 million hectares compare
3 South Africa 2.37 million hectares compare
4 Kenya 2.13 million hectares compare
5 Ethiopia 2.00 million hectares compare

See the full ranking of 55 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
Rural population 55.3% (2025)
Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa?: Land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa was 33.49 million hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
What is the highest land under maize production recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?: The highest recorded value was 33.49 million hectares in 2011.
What is the lowest land under maize production recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 14.37 million hectares in 1961.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for land under maize production?: Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 2nd out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
Is land under maize production rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?: Over the last ten years it is up 47.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?: The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Land under maize production (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Land under maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/land-under-maize-production-hectares/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Land under maize production (hectares)
Unit: hectares
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 55 places, 2,752 data points, 1961–2011
Last refreshed: 21 August 2026

Land under maize production refers to harvested area, although some countries report only sown or cultivated area. Production data on relate to crop harvested for dry grain only. Crop harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded.