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Agricultural land share — all countries

Agricultural land share — South Africa

Agricultural land share in South Africa in 2023 — 79.42%. Ranked 6 in the world out of 209. Since 1961, the indicator has fallen by 4.12 pp.

2023 79.42% +0 pp vs 2022
World rank 6of 209
Period maximum 83.53%1961
Period minimum 77.52%1982

Trend over time

1961–2023 · % of land area

Agricultural land share — South Africa, 1961–2023767880828419611968197519821989199620032010201720231961: 83.53%1963: 81.61%1965: 79.64%1967: 79.26%1969: 78.89%1971: 78.51%1973: 78.12%1975: 77.74%1977: 77.54%1979: 77.53%1981: 77.52%1983: 77.52%1985: 77.52%1987: 78.02%1989: 78.56%1991: 79.14%1993: 79.91%1995: 80.39%1997: 80.74%1999: 80.83%2001: 80.8%2003: 80.73%2005: 80.36%2007: 79.87%2009: 79.95%2011: 79.45%2013: 79.42%2015: 79.42%2017: 79.42%2019: 79.42%2021: 79.42%2023: 79.42%
Change over the period: −4.12 pp Annual average: -0.07 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Africa

South Africa 79.42%
World 36.93%
Sub-Saharan Africa 44.7%
Southern Africa computed 62.09%
Upper-middle-income countries computed 42.09%
Agricultural land share — South Africa, by year South Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 79.42 +0 pp
2022 79.42 +0 pp
2021 79.42 +0 pp
2020 79.42 +0 pp
2019 79.42 +0 pp
2018 79.42 +0 pp
2017 79.42 +0 pp
2016 79.42 +0 pp
2015 79.42 +0 pp
2014 79.42 +0 pp
2013 79.42 +0 pp
2012 79.42 −0.03 pp
2011 79.45 −0.43 pp
2010 79.87 −0.08 pp
2009 79.95 −0.1 pp
2008 80.05 +0.18 pp
2007 79.87 +0 pp
2006 79.87 −0.49 pp
2005 80.36 −0.1 pp
2004 80.46 −0.26 pp
2003 80.73 −0.08 pp
2002 80.81 +0.01 pp
2001 80.8 −0.09 pp
2000 80.89 +0.06 pp
1999 80.83 +0.06 pp
1998 80.78 +0.04 pp
1997 80.74 +0.05 pp
1996 80.69 +0.31 pp
1995 80.39 +0.21 pp
1994 80.18 +0.27 pp
1993 79.91 +0.38 pp
1992 79.53 +0.39 pp
1991 79.14 +0.33 pp
1990 78.81 +0.25 pp
1989 78.56 +0.33 pp
1988 78.23 +0.21 pp
1987 78.02 +0.21 pp
1986 77.82 +0.3 pp
1985 77.52 +0 pp
1984 77.52 +0 pp
1983 77.52 +0 pp
1982 77.52 −0.01 pp
1981 77.52 −0.01 pp
1980 77.53 −0 pp
1979 77.53 −0.01 pp
1978 77.54 +0.01 pp
1977 77.54 −0.01 pp
1976 77.54 −0.19 pp
1975 77.74 −0.21 pp
1974 77.95 −0.18 pp
1973 78.12 −0.19 pp
1972 78.32 −0.19 pp
1971 78.51 −0.19 pp
1970 78.7 −0.19 pp
1969 78.89 −0.19 pp
1968 79.08 −0.18 pp
1967 79.26 −0.23 pp
1966 79.49 −0.15 pp
1965 79.64 −0.94 pp
1964 80.58 −1.03 pp
1963 81.61 −0.94 pp
1962 82.55 −0.99 pp
1961 83.53 —

Southern Africa, 2023

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

ZA South Africa 79.42 LS Lesotho 77.76 SZ Eswatini 69.48 NA Namibia 47.14 BW Botswana 45.63
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The share of agricultural land in total land area: arable land, land under permanent crops, and permanent meadows and pastures. High values often come not from crop-growing countries but from pastoral ones — vast semi-desert rangelands formally count as agricultural land.

Important: The aggregate for country groups is weighted by land area.

Source: FAOSTAT (FAO), license CC BY 4.0.

Other indicators for South Africa

Agriculture Agricultural land

How much land is taken up by arable land, permanent crops and pasture.

South Africa by year Agriculture Arable land share

The part of the territory under annual crops, temporary meadows and fallow.

South Africa by year Environment Land area

The area of a country excluding inland water bodies — the denominator for every land share.

South Africa by year Agriculture Irrigated land

The share of agricultural land equipped for irrigation.

South Africa by year
All indicators for South Africa