Permanent cropland (% of land area) in South Africa
South Africa: Permanent cropland (% of land area) was 0.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Permanent cropland in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for permanent cropland in South Africa is 0.3%, measured in 2024.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, permanent cropland in South Africa peaked at 0.4% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1961.
That places South Africa 156th out of 201 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Permanent cropland (% of land area) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.2% | — |
| 1962 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.2% | +5.4% |
| 1964 | 0.2% | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 0.2% | +5.0% |
| 1966 | 0.2% | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 0.2% | +7.0% |
| 1968 | 0.2% | +4.3% |
| 1969 | 0.2% | +4.2% |
| 1970 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.2% | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 0.2% | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 0.2% | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 0.2% | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.2% | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | +7.1% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +6.3% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 0.3% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | +6.3% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 0.3% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.2%, 15% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.5%, 22% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1917 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.49 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is permanent cropland in South Africa?
- Permanent cropland in South Africa was 0.3% in 2024, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest permanent cropland recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4% in 2010.
- What is the lowest permanent cropland recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for permanent cropland?
- South Africa ranks 156th out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is permanent cropland rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Permanent cropland (% of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Permanent cropland is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber.