Arable land — Area in China
China: Arable land — Area was 109,061 1000 ha in 2024. ▲ Rising
Arable land — Area in China, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in 1000 ha.
Analysis
In 2024, arable land — area in China stood at 109,061 1000 ha.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land — area in China peaked at 125,545 1000 ha in 1991 and was at its lowest, 96,950 1000 ha, in 1980.
China ranks 7th of 248 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Arable land — Area in China, year by year
| Year | 1000 ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 103,397 1000 ha | — |
| 1962 | 103,100 1000 ha | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 102,903 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 102,705 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 102,458 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 102,001 1000 ha | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 101,514 1000 ha | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 101,027 1000 ha | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 100,562 1000 ha | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 100,067 1000 ha | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 99,634 1000 ha | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 99,170 1000 ha | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 98,697 1000 ha | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 99,258 1000 ha | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 97,786 1000 ha | -1.5% |
| 1976 | 97,602 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 97,418 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 97,221 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 97,082 1000 ha | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 96,950 1000 ha | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 97,549 1000 ha | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 102,450 1000 ha | +5.0% |
| 1983 | 108,051 1000 ha | +5.5% |
| 1984 | 114,744 1000 ha | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 120,835 1000 ha | +5.3% |
| 1986 | 121,220 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 120,913 1000 ha | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 121,592 1000 ha | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 122,886 1000 ha | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 124,481 1000 ha | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 125,545 1000 ha | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 123,562 1000 ha | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 121,956 1000 ha | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 121,353 1000 ha | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 120,234 1000 ha | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 119,993 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 119,706 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 119,416 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 119,134 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 118,851 1000 ha | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 119,166 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 119,475 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 119,783 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 120,093 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 120,406 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 120,718 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 121,029 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 121,343 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 121,657 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 120,632 1000 ha | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 119,601 1000 ha | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 118,569 1000 ha | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 117,539 1000 ha | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 116,510 1000 ha | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 115,476 1000 ha | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 113,850 1000 ha | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 112,231 1000 ha | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 111,084 1000 ha | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 109,542 1000 ha | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 109,381 1000 ha | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 109,575 1000 ha | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 108,596 1000 ha | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 109,444 1000 ha | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 109,061 1000 ha | -0.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 109,061 1000 ha is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,083 1000 ha, 100.7× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- China's 109,061 1000 ha is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 94.15 1000 ha, 1158.4× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 102,185 1000 ha | 100,562 1000 ha | 103,397 1000 ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 98,394 1000 ha | 97,082 1000 ha | 100,067 1000 ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 112,719 1000 ha | 96,950 1000 ha | 122,886 1000 ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 121,538 1000 ha | 119,134 1000 ha | 125,545 1000 ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 120,252 1000 ha | 118,851 1000 ha | 121,657 1000 ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 115,503 1000 ha | 109,542 1000 ha | 120,632 1000 ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 109,211 1000 ha | 108,596 1000 ha | 109,575 1000 ha | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 4 United States 151,553 1000 ha compare
- 5 Russian Federation 121,649 1000 ha compare
- 5 Russia 121,649 1000 ha compare
- 8 China, mainland 108,466 1000 ha compare
- 9 Brazil 55,642 1000 ha compare
- 10 Argentina 46,842 1000 ha compare
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.2517 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land — area in China?
- Arable land — area in China was 109,061 1000 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest arable land — area recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 125,545 1000 ha in 1991.
- What is the lowest arable land — area recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 96,950 1000 ha in 1980.
- How does China rank for arable land — area?
- China ranks 7th out of 248 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arable land — area rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. 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, published as part of Arable land — Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The FAOSTAT Land Use domain contains data on twenty-one land use categories and twenty-three categories of irrigation and agricultural practices. Data are available yearly and by country, regional and global levels. The domain includes Land Use Indicators providing information on the percentage share of agricultural and forest land, and their sub-components, including irrigated areas and areas under organic agriculture, within a country land use matrix. Data are available at country, regional and global level, for the following elements: (in percentage) i) Share in Land area; ii) Share in Agricultural land, iii) Share in Cropland; and iv) Share in Forest land; (in ha/pc) v) Area per capita.