Cropland — Area in Africa
Africa: Cropland — Area was 312,792 1000 ha in 2024. ▲ Rising
Cropland — Area in Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in 1000 ha.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cropland — area in Africa is 312,792 1000 ha, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland — area in Africa peaked at 312,792 1000 ha in 2024 and was at its lowest, 166,545 1000 ha, in 1961.
Africa ranks 5th of 32 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Cropland — Area in Africa, year by year
| Year | 1000 ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 166,545 1000 ha | — |
| 1962 | 167,700 1000 ha | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 169,817 1000 ha | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 171,289 1000 ha | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 172,948 1000 ha | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 173,879 1000 ha | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 174,521 1000 ha | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 176,321 1000 ha | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 177,666 1000 ha | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 178,509 1000 ha | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 180,164 1000 ha | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 181,488 1000 ha | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 182,386 1000 ha | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 182,555 1000 ha | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 184,850 1000 ha | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 186,113 1000 ha | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 186,930 1000 ha | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 188,701 1000 ha | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 189,134 1000 ha | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 189,718 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 190,302 1000 ha | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 191,532 1000 ha | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 192,445 1000 ha | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 194,017 1000 ha | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 197,335 1000 ha | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 198,555 1000 ha | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 198,935 1000 ha | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 200,447 1000 ha | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 201,872 1000 ha | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 204,674 1000 ha | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 207,434 1000 ha | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 211,247 1000 ha | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 215,773 1000 ha | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 217,641 1000 ha | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 223,978 1000 ha | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 226,810 1000 ha | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 227,930 1000 ha | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 229,227 1000 ha | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 232,520 1000 ha | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 233,657 1000 ha | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 234,746 1000 ha | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 236,592 1000 ha | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 243,027 1000 ha | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 246,001 1000 ha | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 249,678 1000 ha | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 250,919 1000 ha | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 254,507 1000 ha | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 258,155 1000 ha | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 262,162 1000 ha | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 269,944 1000 ha | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 272,134 1000 ha | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 277,994 1000 ha | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 281,456 1000 ha | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 284,897 1000 ha | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 290,143 1000 ha | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 293,419 1000 ha | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 298,556 1000 ha | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 302,587 1000 ha | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 301,369 1000 ha | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 303,897 1000 ha | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 306,823 1000 ha | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 309,775 1000 ha | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 311,063 1000 ha | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 312,792 1000 ha | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 172,298 1000 ha | 166,545 1000 ha | 177,666 1000 ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 184,083 1000 ha | 178,509 1000 ha | 189,134 1000 ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 195,516 1000 ha | 189,718 1000 ha | 201,872 1000 ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 219,723 1000 ha | 204,674 1000 ha | 232,520 1000 ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 246,944 1000 ha | 233,657 1000 ha | 262,162 1000 ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 287,250 1000 ha | 269,944 1000 ha | 302,587 1000 ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 308,870 1000 ha | 303,897 1000 ha | 312,792 1000 ha | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa
- 2 USSR 228,920 1000 ha compare
- 3 India 168,010 1000 ha compare
- 4 United States 154,734 1000 ha compare
- 5 China 129,388 1000 ha compare
- 6 China, mainland 128,608 1000 ha compare
- 7 Russian Federation 123,660 1000 ha compare
- 7 Russia 123,660 1000 ha compare
More environment data for Africa
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Temperature change 1.32 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.213 °C (2025)
- Other industrial roundwood, non-coniferous (production) — Production 26.92 million m3 (2024)
- Primary wood and paper products (export/import) — Import value 11.21 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Industrial roundwood, non-coniferous — Production 66.41 million m3 (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs — Production 39.12 million m3 (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs, coniferous — Production 9.31 million m3 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cropland — area in Africa?
- Cropland — area in Africa was 312,792 1000 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest cropland — area recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 312,792 1000 ha in 2024.
- What is the lowest cropland — area recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 166,545 1000 ha in 1961.
- How does Africa rank for cropland — area?
- Africa ranks 5th out of 32 groups with data for 2024.
- Is cropland — area rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Cropland — Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
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.