Share of land area used for agriculture in China
China: Share of land area used for agriculture was 55.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of land area used for agriculture in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of land area.
Analysis
China recorded 55.4% for share of land area used for agriculture in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of land area used for agriculture in China peaked at 56.3% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 36.5%, in 1961.
China ranks 47th of 209 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Share of land area used for agriculture in China, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 36.5% | — |
| 1962 | 36.8% | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 37.1% | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 37.4% | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 37.8% | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 38.2% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 38.5% | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 38.9% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 39.4% | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 39.9% | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 40.4% | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 40.9% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 41.5% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 42.2% | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 42.7% | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 43.3% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 43.9% | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 44.6% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 45.1% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 45.5% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 46.1% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 47.1% | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 48.2% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 49.5% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 50.7% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 51.4% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 52.0% | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 52.6% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 53.2% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 53.9% | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 54.5% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 54.8% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 55.2% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 55.7% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 55.7% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 55.7% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 55.7% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 55.7% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 55.7% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 55.7% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 55.8% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 55.8% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 55.9% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 55.9% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 56.0% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 56.1% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 56.1% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 56.2% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 56.3% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 56.2% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 56.1% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 56.0% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 55.9% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 55.9% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 55.8% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 55.7% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 55.6% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 55.5% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 55.5% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 55.5% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 55.4% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 55.4% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 55.4% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 37.8% | 36.5% | 39.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | 42.4% | 39.9% | 45.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.6% | 45.5% | 53.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.2% | 53.9% | 55.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.0% | 55.7% | 56.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.8% | 55.5% | 56.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.4% | 55.4% | 55.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 44 Azerbaijan 57.8% compare
- 45 El Salvador 57.7% compare
- 46 Hungary 55.7% compare
- 48 Ghana 55.4% compare
- 49 Dominican Republic 55.4% compare
- 50 Romania 55.3% compare
More agriculture & rural data for China
- 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)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of land area used for agriculture in China?
- Share of land area used for agriculture in China was 55.4% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of land area used for agriculture recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 56.3% in 2009.
- What is the lowest share of land area used for agriculture recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.5% in 1961.
- How does China rank for share of land area used for agriculture?
- China ranks 47th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of land area used for agriculture 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 (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land area used for agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The share of land area used for agriculture, measured as a percentage of total land area. Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures.