Land used for agriculture in Kenya
Kenya: Land used for agriculture was 24.21 million in 2010. ▲ Rising
Latest (2010)
24.21 million
World rank
37th
of 179 countries
All-time high
24.21 million
in 2010
All-time low
10.11 million
in 1780
Years of data
24
1780–2010
Land used for agriculture in Kenya, 1780–2010
Source: Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for land used for agriculture in Kenya is 24.21 million, measured in 2010. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land used for agriculture in Kenya peaked at 24.21 million in 2010 and was at its lowest, 10.11 million, in 1780.
Kenya ranks 37th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Land used for agriculture in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1780 | 10.11 million | — |
| 1790 | 10.29 million | +1.8% |
| 1800 | 10.47 million | +1.8% |
| 1810 | 10.66 million | +1.8% |
| 1820 | 11.02 million | +3.3% |
| 1830 | 11.40 million | +3.4% |
| 1840 | 11.79 million | +3.5% |
| 1850 | 12.20 million | +3.5% |
| 1860 | 12.62 million | +3.5% |
| 1870 | 13.10 million | +3.8% |
| 1880 | 13.59 million | +3.8% |
| 1890 | 14.11 million | +3.8% |
| 1900 | 14.64 million | +3.8% |
| 1910 | 15.61 million | +6.6% |
| 1920 | 17.03 million | +9.2% |
| 1930 | 18.46 million | +8.4% |
| 1940 | 19.16 million | +3.8% |
| 1950 | 20.68 million | +7.9% |
| 1960 | 23.14 million | +11.9% |
| 1970 | 22.51 million | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 22.59 million | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 23.42 million | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 23.86 million | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 24.21 million | +1.5% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 24.21 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7.14 million, 3.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 24.21 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.08 million, 2.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 10.11 million | 10.11 million | 10.11 million | 1 |
| 1790s | 10.29 million | 10.29 million | 10.29 million | 1 |
| 1800s | 10.47 million | 10.47 million | 10.47 million | 1 |
| 1810s | 10.66 million | 10.66 million | 10.66 million | 1 |
| 1820s | 11.02 million | 11.02 million | 11.02 million | 1 |
| 1830s | 11.40 million | 11.40 million | 11.40 million | 1 |
| 1840s | 11.79 million | 11.79 million | 11.79 million | 1 |
| 1850s | 12.20 million | 12.20 million | 12.20 million | 1 |
| 1860s | 12.62 million | 12.62 million | 12.62 million | 1 |
| 1870s | 13.10 million | 13.10 million | 13.10 million | 1 |
| 1880s | 13.59 million | 13.59 million | 13.59 million | 1 |
| 1890s | 14.11 million | 14.11 million | 14.11 million | 1 |
| 1900s | 14.64 million | 14.64 million | 14.64 million | 1 |
| 1910s | 15.61 million | 15.61 million | 15.61 million | 1 |
| 1920s | 17.03 million | 17.03 million | 17.03 million | 1 |
| 1930s | 18.46 million | 18.46 million | 18.46 million | 1 |
| 1940s | 19.16 million | 19.16 million | 19.16 million | 1 |
| 1950s | 20.68 million | 20.68 million | 20.68 million | 1 |
| 1960s | 23.14 million | 23.14 million | 23.14 million | 1 |
| 1970s | 22.51 million | 22.51 million | 22.51 million | 1 |
| 1980s | 22.59 million | 22.59 million | 22.59 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 23.42 million | 23.42 million | 23.42 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 23.86 million | 23.86 million | 23.86 million | 1 |
| 2010s | 24.21 million | 24.21 million | 24.21 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 34 Namibia 26.70 million compare
- 35 Uzbekistan 25.91 million compare
- 36 Pakistan 24.81 million compare
- 38 Democratic Republic of Congo 23.24 million compare
- 39 Mauritania 22.94 million compare
- 40 France 21.88 million compare
More agriculture & rural data for Kenya
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 16.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2316 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 547.24 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6779 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 12.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land used for agriculture in Kenya?
- Land used for agriculture in Kenya was 24.21 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 24.21 million in 2010.
- What is the lowest land used for agriculture recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.11 million in 1780.
- How does Kenya rank for land used for agriculture?
- Kenya ranks 37th out of 179 countries with data for 2010.
- Is land used for agriculture rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya 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.