Arable land — Share in Agricultural land in India
India: Arable land — Share in Agricultural land was 86.3 % in 2024. ▬ Flat
Arable land — Share in Agricultural land in India, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arable land — share in agricultural land in India is 86.3 %, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land — share in agricultural land in India peaked at 90.4 % in 1979 and was at its lowest, 86.3 %, in 2024.
That places India 12th out of 248 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
Arable land — Share in Agricultural land in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 89.06 % | — |
| 1962 | 88.79 % | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 89.39 % | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 89.26 % | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 89.3 % | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 89.33 % | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 89.86 % | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 89.87 % | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 90.05 % | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 90.17 % | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 89.88 % | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 90.09 % | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 90.23 % | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 90.18 % | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 90.16 % | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 90.26 % | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 90.12 % | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 90.31 % | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 90.4 % | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 90.32 % | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 90.29 % | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 90.21 % | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 90.13 % | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 90.02 % | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 90.13 % | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 90.14 % | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 89.93 % | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 89.96 % | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 90.11 % | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 90.16 % | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 89.92 % | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 89.93 % | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 89.69 % | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 89.74 % | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 89.58 % | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 89.36 % | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 89.31 % | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 89.28 % | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 89.21 % | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 89.21 % | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 89.13 % | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 89.17 % | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 89.08 % | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 88.6 % | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 88.48 % | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 88.07 % | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 87.9 % | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 87.78 % | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 87.65 % | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 87.37 % | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 87.44 % | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 87.17 % | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 87.08 % | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 87.03 % | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 87.46 % | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 87.34 % | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 87.43 % | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 87.13 % | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 86.89 % | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 86.66 % | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 86.48 % | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 86.38 % | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 86.33 % | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 86.3 % | -0.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 86.3 % is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.52 %, 3.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 86.3 % is above the median for South Asia, which is 57.14 %, 1.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 89.43 % | 88.79 % | 90.05 % | 9 |
| 1970s | 90.18 % | 89.88 % | 90.4 % | 10 |
| 1980s | 90.12 % | 89.93 % | 90.32 % | 10 |
| 1990s | 89.62 % | 89.21 % | 90.16 % | 10 |
| 2000s | 88.51 % | 87.65 % | 89.21 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 87.23 % | 86.89 % | 87.46 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.43 % | 86.3 % | 86.66 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More environment data for India
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 17.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % 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 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land — share in agricultural land in India?
- Arable land — share in agricultural land in India was 86.3 % in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest arable land — share in agricultural land recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 90.4 % in 1979.
- What is the lowest arable land — share in agricultural land recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 86.3 % in 2024.
- How does India rank for arable land — share in agricultural land?
- India ranks 12th out of 248 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arable land — share in agricultural land rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Arable land — Share in Agricultural land. 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.