Projections for global peak agricultural land in Canada
Canada: Projections for global peak agricultural land was 56.88 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Projections for global peak agricultural land in Canada, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for projections for global peak agricultural land in Canada is 56.88 million hectares, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, projections for global peak agricultural land in Canada peaked at 63.70 million hectares in 1966 and was at its lowest, 56.88 million hectares, in 2023.
Canada ranks 16th 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 Canada, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 61.84 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 62.28 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 62.72 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 63.15 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 63.59 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 63.70 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 63.57 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 63.43 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 63.30 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 63.16 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 63.02 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 63.05 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 63.08 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 63.10 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 63.13 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 63.16 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 62.78 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 62.41 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 62.03 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 61.66 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 61.29 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 61.21 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 61.13 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 61.06 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 60.98 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 60.90 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 61.02 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 61.15 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 61.28 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 61.40 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 61.53 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 61.47 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 61.40 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 61.33 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 61.26 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 61.19 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 61.22 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 61.24 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 61.26 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 61.29 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 61.31 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 62.09 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 61.95 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 61.80 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 61.66 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 60.58 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 60.01 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 59.43 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 58.86 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 58.28 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 57.70 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 57.77 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 57.84 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 57.91 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 57.98 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 58.05 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 57.87 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 57.89 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 57.69 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 57.12 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 56.99 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 57.08 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 56.88 million hectares | -0.4% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 56.88 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 982,000 hectares, 57.9× the median. (79 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 63.06 million hectares | 61.84 million hectares | 63.70 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 62.89 million hectares | 62.03 million hectares | 63.16 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 61.17 million hectares | 60.90 million hectares | 61.66 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 61.33 million hectares | 61.19 million hectares | 61.53 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.90 million hectares | 58.86 million hectares | 62.09 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.90 million hectares | 57.69 million hectares | 58.28 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.02 million hectares | 56.88 million hectares | 57.12 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More agriculture & rural data for Canada
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 31.61 % change on previous year (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,092 current US$ per person (2022)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.0803 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1712 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.9% (2022)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.9% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is projections for global peak agricultural land in Canada?
- Projections for global peak agricultural land in Canada was 56.88 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 Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 63.70 million hectares in 1966.
- What is the lowest projections for global peak agricultural land recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.88 million hectares in 2023.
- How does Canada rank for projections for global peak agricultural land?
- Canada ranks 16th out of 227 countries with data for 2023.
- Is projections for global peak agricultural land rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada 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.