Land used for agriculture in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Land used for agriculture was 23.24 million in 2010. ▲ Rising
Land used for agriculture in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1780–2010
Source: Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 23.24 million for land used for agriculture in 2010. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land used for agriculture in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 23.24 million in 2010 and was at its lowest, 6.53 million, in 1780.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 38th out of 179 countries with data for 2010, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Land used for agriculture in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1780 | 6.53 million | — |
| 1790 | 6.86 million | +5.0% |
| 1800 | 7.20 million | +5.1% |
| 1810 | 7.58 million | +5.2% |
| 1820 | 7.98 million | +5.3% |
| 1830 | 8.41 million | +5.4% |
| 1840 | 8.87 million | +5.5% |
| 1850 | 9.36 million | +5.5% |
| 1860 | 9.88 million | +5.6% |
| 1870 | 10.46 million | +5.8% |
| 1880 | 11.07 million | +5.9% |
| 1890 | 11.73 million | +6.0% |
| 1900 | 12.43 million | +6.0% |
| 1910 | 13.21 million | +6.2% |
| 1920 | 13.98 million | +5.9% |
| 1930 | 14.54 million | +4.0% |
| 1940 | 15.51 million | +6.6% |
| 1950 | 16.51 million | +6.4% |
| 1960 | 21.58 million | +30.7% |
| 1970 | 21.54 million | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 21.87 million | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 22.04 million | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 21.86 million | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 23.24 million | +6.3% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 23.24 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 13.18 million, 1.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 23.24 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.08 million, 2.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Land used for agriculture in Democratic Republic of Congo changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | +30.7% | 16.51 million | 21.58 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 6.53 million | 6.53 million | 6.53 million | 1 |
| 1790s | 6.86 million | 6.86 million | 6.86 million | 1 |
| 1800s | 7.20 million | 7.20 million | 7.20 million | 1 |
| 1810s | 7.58 million | 7.58 million | 7.58 million | 1 |
| 1820s | 7.98 million | 7.98 million | 7.98 million | 1 |
| 1830s | 8.41 million | 8.41 million | 8.41 million | 1 |
| 1840s | 8.87 million | 8.87 million | 8.87 million | 1 |
| 1850s | 9.36 million | 9.36 million | 9.36 million | 1 |
| 1860s | 9.88 million | 9.88 million | 9.88 million | 1 |
| 1870s | 10.46 million | 10.46 million | 10.46 million | 1 |
| 1880s | 11.07 million | 11.07 million | 11.07 million | 1 |
| 1890s | 11.73 million | 11.73 million | 11.73 million | 1 |
| 1900s | 12.43 million | 12.43 million | 12.43 million | 1 |
| 1910s | 13.21 million | 13.21 million | 13.21 million | 1 |
| 1920s | 13.98 million | 13.98 million | 13.98 million | 1 |
| 1930s | 14.54 million | 14.54 million | 14.54 million | 1 |
| 1940s | 15.51 million | 15.51 million | 15.51 million | 1 |
| 1950s | 16.51 million | 16.51 million | 16.51 million | 1 |
| 1960s | 21.58 million | 21.58 million | 21.58 million | 1 |
| 1970s | 21.54 million | 21.54 million | 21.54 million | 1 |
| 1980s | 21.87 million | 21.87 million | 21.87 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 22.04 million | 22.04 million | 22.04 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 21.86 million | 21.86 million | 21.86 million | 1 |
| 2010s | 23.24 million | 23.24 million | 23.24 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More agriculture & rural data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0893 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 72.04 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5489 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 8.9% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 8.9% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.6% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land used for agriculture in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Land used for agriculture in Democratic Republic of Congo was 23.24 million in 2010, according to Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land used for agriculture recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 23.24 million in 2010.
- What is the lowest land used for agriculture recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.53 million in 1780.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for land used for agriculture?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 38th out of 179 countries with data for 2010.
- Is land used for agriculture rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Land used for agriculture. 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 use is the sum of croplands and pasture – land used for grazing livestock. It is measured in hectares.