What is cropland — area in China?

Cropland — area in China was 129,388 1000 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

What is the highest cropland — area recorded in China?

The highest recorded value was 136,205 1000 ha in 2009.

What is the lowest cropland — area recorded in China?

The lowest recorded value was 100,220 1000 ha in 1980.

How does China rank for cropland — area?

China ranks 5th out of 252 countries with data for 2024.

Is cropland — area rising or falling in China?

Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. 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 Cropland — Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Cropland — Area in China

Name: Cropland — Area in China
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)

China: Cropland — Area was 129,388 1000 ha in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)

129,388 1000 ha

Change on year

down 0.0%

World rank

5th

of 252 countries

All-time high

136,205 1000 ha

in 2009

All-time low

100,220 1000 ha

in 1980

Years of data

1961–2024

Cropland — Area in China, 1961–2024

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in 1000 ha.

Analysis

China recorded 129,388 1000 ha for cropland — area in 2024.

The figure is down 2.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, cropland — area in China peaked at 136,205 1000 ha in 2009 and was at its lowest, 100,220 1000 ha, in 1980.

That places China 5th out of 252 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.

Cropland — Area in China, year by year

Annual values for Cropland — Area in China, 1961 to 2024.
Year	1000 ha	Change
1961	105,248 1000 ha	—
1962	105,001 1000 ha	-0.2%
1963	104,854 1000 ha	-0.1%
1964	104,706 1000 ha	-0.1%
1965	104,509 1000 ha	-0.2%
1966	104,112 1000 ha	-0.4%
1967	103,715 1000 ha	-0.4%
1968	103,313 1000 ha	-0.4%
1969	102,928 1000 ha	-0.4%
1970	102,518 1000 ha	-0.4%
1971	102,165 1000 ha	-0.3%
1972	101,781 1000 ha	-0.4%
1973	101,388 1000 ha	-0.4%
1974	102,029 1000 ha	+0.6%
1975	100,637 1000 ha	-1.4%
1976	100,533 1000 ha	-0.1%
1977	100,429 1000 ha	-0.1%
1978	100,316 1000 ha	-0.1%
1979	100,270 1000 ha	-0.0%
1980	100,220 1000 ha	-0.0%
1981	100,908 1000 ha	+0.7%
1982	105,899 1000 ha	+4.9%
1983	111,702 1000 ha	+5.5%
1984	118,700 1000 ha	+6.3%
1985	125,896 1000 ha	+6.1%
1986	127,396 1000 ha	+1.2%
1987	128,094 1000 ha	+0.5%
1988	129,103 1000 ha	+0.8%
1989	130,602 1000 ha	+1.2%
1990	132,197 1000 ha	+1.2%
1991	133,266 1000 ha	+0.8%
1992	131,583 1000 ha	-1.3%
1993	130,882 1000 ha	-0.5%
1994	130,879 1000 ha	-0.0%
1995	130,880 1000 ha	+0.0%
1996	130,918 1000 ha	+0.0%
1997	130,910 1000 ha	-0.0%
1998	130,904 1000 ha	-0.0%
1999	130,901 1000 ha	-0.0%
2000	130,897 1000 ha	-0.0%
2001	131,489 1000 ha	+0.5%
2002	132,081 1000 ha	+0.5%
2003	132,672 1000 ha	+0.4%
2004	133,257 1000 ha	+0.4%
2005	133,848 1000 ha	+0.4%
2006	134,438 1000 ha	+0.4%
2007	135,028 1000 ha	+0.4%
2008	135,618 1000 ha	+0.4%
2009	136,205 1000 ha	+0.4%
2010	135,450 1000 ha	-0.6%
2011	134,692 1000 ha	-0.6%
2012	133,935 1000 ha	-0.6%
2013	133,180 1000 ha	-0.6%
2014	132,427 1000 ha	-0.6%
2015	131,672 1000 ha	-0.6%
2016	130,917 1000 ha	-0.6%
2017	130,163 1000 ha	-0.6%
2018	129,409 1000 ha	-0.6%
2019	128,656 1000 ha	-0.6%
2020	128,561 1000 ha	-0.1%
2021	128,370 1000 ha	-0.1%
2022	128,363 1000 ha	-0.0%
2023	129,390 1000 ha	+0.8%
2024	129,388 1000 ha	-0.0%

China compared with similar countries

China's 129,388 1000 ha is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,680 1000 ha, 77.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
China's 129,388 1000 ha is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 129.14 1000 ha, 1001.9× the median. (32 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	104,265 1000 ha	102,928 1000 ha	105,248 1000 ha	9
1970s	101,207 1000 ha	100,270 1000 ha	102,518 1000 ha	10
1980s	117,852 1000 ha	100,220 1000 ha	130,602 1000 ha	10
1990s	131,332 1000 ha	130,879 1000 ha	133,266 1000 ha	10
2000s	133,553 1000 ha	130,897 1000 ha	136,205 1000 ha	10
2010s	132,050 1000 ha	128,656 1000 ha	135,450 1000 ha	10
2020s	128,814 1000 ha	128,363 1000 ha	129,390 1000 ha	5

Countries ranked near China

2 USSR 228,920 1000 ha compare
3 India 168,010 1000 ha compare
4 United States 154,734 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

See the full ranking of 285 places →

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)

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is cropland — area in China?: Cropland — area in China was 129,388 1000 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest cropland — area recorded in China?: The highest recorded value was 136,205 1000 ha in 2009.
What is the lowest cropland — area recorded in China?: The lowest recorded value was 100,220 1000 ha in 1980.
How does China rank for cropland — area?: China ranks 5th out of 252 countries with data for 2024.
Is cropland — area rising or falling in China?: Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. 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 Cropland — Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Cropland — Area in China. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/cropland-area-2/china/

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About this data

Indicator: Cropland — Area
Unit: 1000 ha
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage: 285 places, 16,764 data points, 1961–2024
Last refreshed: 17 September 2026

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.