Projections for global peak agricultural land in China
China: Projections for global peak agricultural land was 520.41 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
520.41 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
2nd
of 227 countries
All-time high
528.22 million hectares
in 2009
All-time low
342.35 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Projections for global peak agricultural land in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, projections for global peak agricultural land in China stood at 520.41 million hectares.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, projections for global peak agricultural land in China peaked at 528.22 million hectares in 2009 and was at its lowest, 342.35 million hectares, in 1961.
That places China 2nd out of 227 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Projections for global peak agricultural land in China, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 342.35 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 345.10 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 347.95 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 350.80 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 354.60 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 358.20 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 361.80 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 365.40 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 370.00 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 374.60 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 379.25 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 383.87 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 389.48 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 396.10 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 400.71 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 406.60 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 412.50 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 418.47 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 423.04 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 427.60 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 432.91 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 442.52 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 452.93 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 464.54 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 476.35 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 482.46 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 487.77 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 493.38 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 499.49 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 505.69 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 511.38 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 514.31 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 518.22 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 522.83 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 522.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 522.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 522.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 522.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 522.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 522.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 523.47 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 524.06 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 524.65 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 525.25 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 525.84 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 526.44 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 527.03 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 527.62 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 528.22 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 527.46 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 526.71 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 525.96 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 525.21 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 524.46 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 523.70 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 522.95 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 522.20 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 521.45 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 520.70 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 520.60 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 520.51 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 520.41 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 520.41 million hectares | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 520.41 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.20 million hectares, 162.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 520.41 million hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 249,300 hectares, 2087.5× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 355.13 million hectares | 342.35 million hectares | 370.00 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 398.46 million hectares | 374.60 million hectares | 423.04 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 465.99 million hectares | 427.60 million hectares | 499.49 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 518.68 million hectares | 505.69 million hectares | 522.87 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 525.55 million hectares | 522.87 million hectares | 528.22 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 524.08 million hectares | 520.70 million hectares | 527.46 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 520.48 million hectares | 520.41 million hectares | 520.60 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0314 % 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 0.0951 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0082 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.3742 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is projections for global peak agricultural land in China?
- Projections for global peak agricultural land in China was 520.41 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 528.22 million hectares in 2009.
- What is the lowest projections for global peak agricultural land recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 342.35 million hectares in 1961.
- How does China rank for projections for global peak agricultural land?
- China ranks 2nd out of 227 countries with data for 2023.
- Is projections for global peak agricultural land rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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.