Agricultural area over the long-term in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Agricultural area over the long-term was 16.56 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
16.56 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
53rd
of 202 countries
All-time high
19.80 million hectares
in 1960
All-time low
7.52 million hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Agricultural area over the long-term in United Kingdom, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2025, agricultural area over the long-term in United Kingdom stood at 16.56 million hectares.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural area over the long-term in United Kingdom peaked at 19.80 million hectares in 1960 and was at its lowest, 7.52 million hectares, in 1000.
United Kingdom ranks 53rd of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Agricultural area over the long-term in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 7.52 million hectares | — |
| 1100 | 11.22 million hectares | +49.3% |
| 1200 | 12.13 million hectares | +8.1% |
| 1300 | 14.05 million hectares | +15.9% |
| 1400 | 9.19 million hectares | -34.6% |
| 1500 | 10.27 million hectares | +11.7% |
| 1600 | 11.24 million hectares | +9.4% |
| 1700 | 12.70 million hectares | +13.0% |
| 1710 | 12.98 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1720 | 13.21 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1730 | 13.24 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1740 | 13.64 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1750 | 13.93 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1760 | 14.00 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1770 | 14.01 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1780 | 14.13 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1790 | 13.81 million hectares | -2.3% |
| 1800 | 13.45 million hectares | -2.6% |
| 1810 | 12.55 million hectares | -6.7% |
| 1820 | 13.35 million hectares | +6.4% |
| 1830 | 13.40 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1840 | 14.77 million hectares | +10.2% |
| 1850 | 13.04 million hectares | -11.7% |
| 1860 | 11.38 million hectares | -12.7% |
| 1870 | 13.84 million hectares | +21.6% |
| 1880 | 14.56 million hectares | +5.3% |
| 1890 | 15.27 million hectares | +4.9% |
| 1900 | 16.12 million hectares | +5.5% |
| 1910 | 16.99 million hectares | +5.4% |
| 1920 | 17.50 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 1930 | 18.01 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1940 | 18.45 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1950 | 19.22 million hectares | +4.1% |
| 1951 | 19.23 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 19.25 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 19.28 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1954 | 19.32 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1955 | 19.37 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1956 | 19.43 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 19.49 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 19.56 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 19.63 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 19.80 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 19.80 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 19.78 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 19.75 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 19.70 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 19.59 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 19.55 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 19.55 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 19.43 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 19.38 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 18.85 million hectares | -2.7% |
| 1971 | 18.84 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 18.76 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 18.70 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 18.64 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 18.58 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 18.57 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 18.49 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 18.48 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 18.45 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 18.47 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 18.32 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 18.28 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 18.22 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 18.20 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 18.17 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 18.13 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 18.12 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 18.42 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 18.31 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 18.20 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 18.14 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 18.07 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 17.53 million hectares | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 17.41 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 17.38 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 17.49 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 17.59 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 17.52 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 17.22 million hectares | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 16.96 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 16.95 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 16.98 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 16.96 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 17.05 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 16.96 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 17.84 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 17.65 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 17.68 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 17.32 million hectares | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 17.22 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 17.16 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 17.18 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 17.25 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 17.23 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 17.14 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 17.35 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 17.47 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 17.35 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 17.52 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 17.26 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 17.22 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 16.83 million hectares | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 16.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 16.70 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 16.56 million hectares | -0.8% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 16.56 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.51 million hectares, 11.0× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 16.56 million hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.75 million hectares, 6.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Agricultural area over the long-term in United Kingdom 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 | +49.3% | 7.52 million hectares | 11.22 million hectares |
| 1400 | -34.6% | 14.05 million hectares | 9.19 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 7.52 million hectares | 7.52 million hectares | 7.52 million hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 11.22 million hectares | 11.22 million hectares | 11.22 million hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 12.13 million hectares | 12.13 million hectares | 12.13 million hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 14.05 million hectares | 14.05 million hectares | 14.05 million hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 9.19 million hectares | 9.19 million hectares | 9.19 million hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 10.27 million hectares | 10.27 million hectares | 10.27 million hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 11.24 million hectares | 11.24 million hectares | 11.24 million hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 12.70 million hectares | 12.70 million hectares | 12.70 million hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 12.98 million hectares | 12.98 million hectares | 12.98 million hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 13.21 million hectares | 13.21 million hectares | 13.21 million hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 13.24 million hectares | 13.24 million hectares | 13.24 million hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 13.64 million hectares | 13.64 million hectares | 13.64 million hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 13.93 million hectares | 13.93 million hectares | 13.93 million hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 14.00 million hectares | 14.00 million hectares | 14.00 million hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 14.01 million hectares | 14.01 million hectares | 14.01 million hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 14.13 million hectares | 14.13 million hectares | 14.13 million hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 13.81 million hectares | 13.81 million hectares | 13.81 million hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 13.45 million hectares | 13.45 million hectares | 13.45 million hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 12.55 million hectares | 12.55 million hectares | 12.55 million hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 13.35 million hectares | 13.35 million hectares | 13.35 million hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 13.40 million hectares | 13.40 million hectares | 13.40 million hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 14.77 million hectares | 14.77 million hectares | 14.77 million hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 13.04 million hectares | 13.04 million hectares | 13.04 million hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 11.38 million hectares | 11.38 million hectares | 11.38 million hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 13.84 million hectares | 13.84 million hectares | 13.84 million hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 14.56 million hectares | 14.56 million hectares | 14.56 million hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 15.27 million hectares | 15.27 million hectares | 15.27 million hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 16.12 million hectares | 16.12 million hectares | 16.12 million hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 16.99 million hectares | 16.99 million hectares | 16.99 million hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 17.50 million hectares | 17.50 million hectares | 17.50 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 18.01 million hectares | 18.01 million hectares | 18.01 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 18.45 million hectares | 18.45 million hectares | 18.45 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 19.38 million hectares | 19.22 million hectares | 19.63 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.63 million hectares | 19.38 million hectares | 19.80 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 18.64 million hectares | 18.45 million hectares | 18.85 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.26 million hectares | 18.12 million hectares | 18.47 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.66 million hectares | 17.22 million hectares | 18.20 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.23 million hectares | 16.95 million hectares | 17.84 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.29 million hectares | 17.14 million hectares | 17.52 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.90 million hectares | 16.56 million hectares | 17.26 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More agriculture & rural data for United Kingdom
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.2731 % 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 0.0861 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.8055 % 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 0.2384 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 368.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1852 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural area over the long-term in United Kingdom?
- Agricultural area over the long-term in United Kingdom was 16.56 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 19.80 million hectares in 1960.
- What is the lowest agricultural area over the long-term recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.52 million hectares in 1000.
- How does United Kingdom rank for agricultural area over the long-term?
- United Kingdom ranks 53rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is agricultural area over the long-term rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.