15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Croplands in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: 15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Croplands was 277,938 km2 in 2021. ▲ Rising
15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Croplands in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2021
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in km2.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 277,938 km2 for 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: croplands in 2021. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: croplands in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 277,938 km2 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 220,358 km2, in 2000.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 4th out of 21 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Croplands in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | km2 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 220,358 km2 | — |
| 2005 | 224,691 km2 | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 238,522 km2 | +6.2% |
| 2015 | 259,972 km2 | +9.0% |
| 2018 | 270,233 km2 | +3.9% |
| 2021 | 277,938 km2 | +2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 222,524 km2 | 220,358 km2 | 224,691 km2 | 2 |
| 2010s | 256,242 km2 | 238,522 km2 | 270,233 km2 | 3 |
| 2020s | 277,938 km2 | 277,938 km2 | 277,938 km2 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Brazil 229,459 km2 compare
- 2 China, mainland 142,802 km2 compare
- 2 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 57,896 km2 compare
- 3 Ethiopia 103,468 km2 compare
- 3 United Republic of Tanzania 31,791 km2 compare
- 4 Democratic Republic of the Congo 7,042 km2 compare
- 4 Spain 74,824 km2 compare
- 5 Italy 45,207 km2 compare
- 5 Syrian Arab Republic 3,162 km2 compare
- 6 France 34,422 km2 compare
- 6 Viet Nam 2,870 km2 compare
- 7 Democratic People's Republic of Korea 2,771 km2 compare
- 7 South Africa 31,065 km2 compare
More environment data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.11 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.223 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.21 °C (2025)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 305.43 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Aquaculture production 904,662 metric tons (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 2.29 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Transport (Energy) 2.96 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Permanent meadows and pastures — Share in Agricultural land 72.81 % (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: croplands in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: croplands in Sub-Saharan Africa was 277,938 km2 in 2021, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: croplands recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 277,938 km2 in 2021.
- What is the lowest 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: croplands recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 220,358 km2 in 2000.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: croplands?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 4th out of 21 groups with data for 2021.
- Is 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: croplands rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of 15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Croplands — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
As the custodian agency of 22 SDG indicators, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is responsible for curating and refining the methodologies of these indicators, collecting data from national sources, ensuring their quality and compatibility with applicable standards and classifications, and disseminating data at global level. This FAOSTAT domain complements the global SDG database administered by the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), as well as FAO’s SDG indicators portal, by providing access to the available data for all SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship. While this metadata page provides summary information on all SDG indicators data disseminated through FAOSTAT, indicator-specific metadata can be accessed from the link on the right hand navigation column. This additional metadata file provides details on the methodology used to compile each indicators, their data sources and the contact information of the relevant FAO focal point. It includes the links to the official SDG Indicator metadata documents accessible from the UNSD global SDG database.SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship, consisting of 22 indicators and 66 series that fall under six goals: • Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.• Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.• Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production.• Goal 14: Life below water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.• Goal 15: Life on land: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.