Projections for global peak agricultural land in Australia
Australia: Projections for global peak agricultural land was 363.24 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
363.24 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
4th
of 227 countries
All-time high
513.57 million hectares
in 1968
All-time low
342.60 million hectares
in 2016
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Projections for global peak agricultural land in Australia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Australia recorded 363.24 million hectares for projections for global peak agricultural land in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, projections for global peak agricultural land in Australia peaked at 513.57 million hectares in 1968 and was at its lowest, 342.60 million hectares, in 2016.
Australia ranks 4th of 227 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Projections for global peak agricultural land in Australia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 474.48 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 476.59 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 479.37 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 481.90 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 486.26 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 487.03 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 489.58 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 513.57 million hectares | +4.9% |
| 1969 | 510.89 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 493.43 million hectares | -3.4% |
| 1971 | 499.54 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 499.81 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 497.90 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 500.36 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 499.55 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 500.74 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 491.51 million hectares | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 496.10 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 493.24 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 495.64 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 495.56 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 490.77 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 483.79 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 486.56 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 486.79 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 468.54 million hectares | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 471.02 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 472.05 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 467.10 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 464.44 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 462.78 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 466.00 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 460.10 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 469.14 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 463.39 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 465.23 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 462.23 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 463.88 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 453.69 million hectares | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 455.47 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 455.70 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 447.00 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 439.50 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 394.91 million hectares | -10.1% |
| 2005 | 410.23 million hectares | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 409.30 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 398.36 million hectares | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 389.29 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 384.26 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 376.37 million hectares | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 396.12 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 387.08 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 371.77 million hectares | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 374.42 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 348.12 million hectares | -7.0% |
| 2016 | 342.60 million hectares | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 371.84 million hectares | +8.5% |
| 2018 | 358.89 million hectares | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 362.48 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 355.77 million hectares | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 363.52 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 363.52 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 363.24 million hectares | -0.1% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 363.24 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 982,000 hectares, 369.9× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Australia's 363.24 million hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 249,300 hectares, 1457.1× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 488.85 million hectares | 474.48 million hectares | 513.57 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 497.22 million hectares | 491.51 million hectares | 500.74 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 481.78 million hectares | 467.10 million hectares | 495.64 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 463.09 million hectares | 453.69 million hectares | 469.14 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 418.40 million hectares | 384.26 million hectares | 455.70 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 368.97 million hectares | 342.60 million hectares | 396.12 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 361.51 million hectares | 355.77 million hectares | 363.52 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More agriculture & rural data for Australia
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.4449 % 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 1.16 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.2372 % 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 12.7 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0227 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,476 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5855 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is projections for global peak agricultural land in Australia?
- Projections for global peak agricultural land in Australia was 363.24 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest projections for global peak agricultural land recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 513.57 million hectares in 1968.
- What is the lowest projections for global peak agricultural land recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 342.60 million hectares in 2016.
- How does Australia rank for projections for global peak agricultural land?
- Australia ranks 4th out of 227 countries with data for 2023.
- Is projections for global peak agricultural land rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Projections for global peak agricultural land. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Land used for cultivation of crops and animal husbandry. The total of areas under cropland and permanent meadows and pastures.