Arable land — Share in Agricultural land in South Africa
South Africa: Arable land — Share in Agricultural land was 12.46 % in 2024. ▬ Flat
Arable land — Share in Agricultural land in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 12.46 %, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land — share in agricultural land in South Africa peaked at 14.08 % in 2000 and was at its lowest, 11.84 %, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 170th of 214 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Arable land — Share in Agricultural land in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 11.84 % | — |
| 1962 | 12.03 % | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 12.22 % | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 12.43 % | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 12.63 % | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 12.66 % | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 12.71 % | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 12.75 % | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 12.79 % | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 12.83 % | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 12.87 % | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 12.91 % | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 12.95 % | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 12.99 % | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 13.03 % | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 13.07 % | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 13.09 % | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 13.09 % | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 13.1 % | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 13.11 % | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 13.13 % | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 13.14 % | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 13.14 % | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 13.14 % | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 13.14 % | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 13.35 % | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 13.26 % | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 13.28 % | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 13.33 % | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 13.39 % | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 13.44 % | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 13.64 % | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 13.85 % | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 13.83 % | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 13.84 % | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 13.94 % | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 13.99 % | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 13.98 % | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 14.03 % | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 14.08 % | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 13.96 % | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 13.98 % | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 13.89 % | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 13.63 % | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 13.52 % | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 13 % | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 13 % | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 13.18 % | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 13.05 % | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 12.94 % | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 12.49 % | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 12.46 % | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 12.46 % | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.45 % | 11.84 % | 12.79 % | 9 |
| 1970s | 12.99 % | 12.83 % | 13.1 % | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.2 % | 13.11 % | 13.35 % | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.79 % | 13.39 % | 14.03 % | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.53 % | 13 % | 14.08 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.51 % | 12.46 % | 12.94 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.46 % | 12.46 % | 12.46 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 167 United Arab Emirates 14.14 % compare
- 168 Chile 13.19 % compare
- 169 Guyana 13.17 % compare
- 171 Kyrgyzstan 12.44 % compare
- 172 Vanuatu 12.37 % compare
- 173 Pacific Islands Trust Territory 12.2 % compare
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Newsprint — Import quantity, gaps filled 34,979 t (2024)
- Newsprint — Import quantity, annual growth rate 115.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Newsprint — Import value, gaps filled 21,013 1000 USD (2024)
- Newsprint — Import value, annual growth rate 78.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Printing and writing papers — Import quantity, annual growth rate 36.55 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land — share in agricultural land in South Africa?
- Arable land — share in agricultural land in South Africa was 12.46 % in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest arable land — share in agricultural land recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.08 % in 2000.
- What is the lowest arable land — share in agricultural land recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.84 % in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for arable land — share in agricultural land?
- South Africa ranks 170th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arable land — share in agricultural land rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa 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.