Agricultural area over the long-term in China
China: Agricultural area over the long-term was 526.33 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
526.33 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
1st
of 202 countries
All-time high
534.74 million hectares
in 1994
All-time low
33.70 million hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Agricultural area over the long-term in China, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural area over the long-term in China is 526.33 million hectares, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural area over the long-term in China peaked at 534.74 million hectares in 1994 and was at its lowest, 33.70 million hectares, in 1000.
China ranks 1st of 202 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Agricultural area over the long-term in China, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 33.70 million hectares | — |
| 1100 | 81.52 million hectares | +141.9% |
| 1200 | 92.01 million hectares | +12.9% |
| 1300 | 70.95 million hectares | -22.9% |
| 1400 | 62.75 million hectares | -11.6% |
| 1500 | 79.26 million hectares | +26.3% |
| 1600 | 83.88 million hectares | +5.8% |
| 1700 | 86.40 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1710 | 90.29 million hectares | +4.5% |
| 1720 | 98.28 million hectares | +8.8% |
| 1730 | 102.11 million hectares | +3.9% |
| 1740 | 108.34 million hectares | +6.1% |
| 1750 | 121.94 million hectares | +12.5% |
| 1760 | 129.25 million hectares | +6.0% |
| 1770 | 138.27 million hectares | +7.0% |
| 1780 | 159.65 million hectares | +15.5% |
| 1790 | 169.75 million hectares | +6.3% |
| 1800 | 169.14 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1810 | 189.75 million hectares | +12.2% |
| 1820 | 196.73 million hectares | +3.7% |
| 1830 | 210.56 million hectares | +7.0% |
| 1840 | 219.05 million hectares | +4.0% |
| 1850 | 226.04 million hectares | +3.2% |
| 1860 | 223.69 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1870 | 200.61 million hectares | -10.3% |
| 1880 | 202.45 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1890 | 208.47 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1900 | 219.26 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 1910 | 231.73 million hectares | +5.7% |
| 1920 | 253.46 million hectares | +9.4% |
| 1930 | 263.79 million hectares | +4.1% |
| 1940 | 283.96 million hectares | +7.6% |
| 1950 | 309.09 million hectares | +8.9% |
| 1951 | 316.94 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1952 | 325.38 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 1953 | 329.98 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1954 | 334.12 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1955 | 340.19 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1956 | 345.20 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 349.07 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 1958 | 353.12 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 351.71 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1960 | 350.83 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1961 | 350.49 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 356.76 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 362.61 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 368.82 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 374.10 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 381.66 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1967 | 386.36 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 388.75 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 394.10 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 404.40 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 411.26 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 414.49 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 424.96 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 432.85 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 440.54 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 446.86 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 452.20 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 462.31 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 471.93 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 474.42 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 479.02 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 483.30 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 487.69 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 491.90 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 495.99 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 499.86 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 503.85 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 507.97 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 512.28 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 516.86 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 521.56 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 526.15 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 530.45 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 534.74 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 534.31 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 533.96 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 533.77 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 533.57 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 533.15 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 532.21 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 531.61 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 529.96 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 527.59 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 526.72 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 526.37 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 526.13 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 526.07 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 526.06 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 526.03 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 525.95 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 526.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 525.97 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 526.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 525.96 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 525.95 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 525.91 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 525.92 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 526.05 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 526.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 526.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 526.17 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 526.21 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 526.24 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 526.28 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 526.33 million hectares | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 526.33 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.21 million hectares, 101.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- China's 526.33 million hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.15 million hectares, 244.5× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Agricultural area over the long-term in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +141.9% | 33.70 million hectares | 81.52 million hectares |
| 1500 | +26.3% | 62.75 million hectares | 79.26 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 33.70 million hectares | 33.70 million hectares | 33.70 million hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 81.52 million hectares | 81.52 million hectares | 81.52 million hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 92.01 million hectares | 92.01 million hectares | 92.01 million hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 70.95 million hectares | 70.95 million hectares | 70.95 million hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 62.75 million hectares | 62.75 million hectares | 62.75 million hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 79.26 million hectares | 79.26 million hectares | 79.26 million hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 83.88 million hectares | 83.88 million hectares | 83.88 million hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 86.40 million hectares | 86.40 million hectares | 86.40 million hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 90.29 million hectares | 90.29 million hectares | 90.29 million hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 98.28 million hectares | 98.28 million hectares | 98.28 million hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 102.11 million hectares | 102.11 million hectares | 102.11 million hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 108.34 million hectares | 108.34 million hectares | 108.34 million hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 121.94 million hectares | 121.94 million hectares | 121.94 million hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 129.25 million hectares | 129.25 million hectares | 129.25 million hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 138.27 million hectares | 138.27 million hectares | 138.27 million hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 159.65 million hectares | 159.65 million hectares | 159.65 million hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 169.75 million hectares | 169.75 million hectares | 169.75 million hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 169.14 million hectares | 169.14 million hectares | 169.14 million hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 189.75 million hectares | 189.75 million hectares | 189.75 million hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 196.73 million hectares | 196.73 million hectares | 196.73 million hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 210.56 million hectares | 210.56 million hectares | 210.56 million hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 219.05 million hectares | 219.05 million hectares | 219.05 million hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 226.04 million hectares | 226.04 million hectares | 226.04 million hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 223.69 million hectares | 223.69 million hectares | 223.69 million hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 200.61 million hectares | 200.61 million hectares | 200.61 million hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 202.45 million hectares | 202.45 million hectares | 202.45 million hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 208.47 million hectares | 208.47 million hectares | 208.47 million hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 219.26 million hectares | 219.26 million hectares | 219.26 million hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 231.73 million hectares | 231.73 million hectares | 231.73 million hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 253.46 million hectares | 253.46 million hectares | 253.46 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 263.79 million hectares | 263.79 million hectares | 263.79 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 283.96 million hectares | 283.96 million hectares | 283.96 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 335.48 million hectares | 309.09 million hectares | 353.12 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 371.45 million hectares | 350.49 million hectares | 394.10 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 436.18 million hectares | 404.40 million hectares | 471.93 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 493.63 million hectares | 474.42 million hectares | 512.28 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 529.85 million hectares | 516.86 million hectares | 534.74 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 527.87 million hectares | 526.03 million hectares | 532.21 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 525.99 million hectares | 525.91 million hectares | 526.12 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 526.23 million hectares | 526.12 million hectares | 526.33 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
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 agricultural area over the long-term in China?
- Agricultural area over the long-term in China was 526.33 million hectares in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural area over the long-term recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 534.74 million hectares in 1994.
- What is the lowest agricultural area over the long-term recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.70 million hectares in 1000.
- How does China rank for agricultural area over the long-term?
- China ranks 1st out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is agricultural area over the long-term rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural area over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total agricultural area for each separate country over time.