Land use hidden — Cropland in South Africa
South Africa: Land use hidden — Cropland was 124,130 Square kilometres in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
124,130 Square kilometres
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
25th
of 193 countries
All-time high
141,970 Square kilometres
in 2000
All-time low
121,850 Square kilometres
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use hidden — Cropland in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Square kilometres.
Analysis
The most recent figure for land use hidden — cropland in South Africa is 124,130 Square kilometres, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use hidden — cropland in South Africa peaked at 141,970 Square kilometres in 2000 and was at its lowest, 121,850 Square kilometres, in 1961.
That places South Africa 25th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Land use hidden — Cropland in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Square kilometres | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 121,850 Square kilometres | — |
| 1962 | 122,350 Square kilometres | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 122,950 Square kilometres | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 123,500 Square kilometres | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 124,100 Square kilometres | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 124,240 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 124,480 Square kilometres | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 124,670 Square kilometres | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 124,860 Square kilometres | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 124,950 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 125,140 Square kilometres | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 125,280 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 125,420 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 125,560 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 125,650 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 125,790 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 125,880 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 126,170 Square kilometres | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 126,260 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 126,350 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 126,440 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 126,550 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 126,550 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 126,550 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 126,550 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 129,000 Square kilometres | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 128,500 Square kilometres | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 129,000 Square kilometres | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 130,000 Square kilometres | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 131,000 Square kilometres | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 132,050 Square kilometres | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 134,730 Square kilometres | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 137,360 Square kilometres | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 137,650 Square kilometres | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 138,200 Square kilometres | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 139,900 Square kilometres | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 140,450 Square kilometres | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 140,600 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 141,300 Square kilometres | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 141,970 Square kilometres | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 140,850 Square kilometres | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 141,000 Square kilometres | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 140,000 Square kilometres | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 136,800 Square kilometres | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 135,550 Square kilometres | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 129,600 Square kilometres | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 129,620 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 131,800 Square kilometres | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 130,600 Square kilometres | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 129,630 Square kilometres | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 124,460 Square kilometres | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 124,130 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 124,130 Square kilometres | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 124,130 Square kilometres is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 16,313 Square kilometres, 7.6× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 124,130 Square kilometres is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 38,750 Square kilometres, 3.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 123,667 Square kilometres | 121,850 Square kilometres | 124,860 Square kilometres | 9 |
| 1970s | 125,610 Square kilometres | 124,950 Square kilometres | 126,260 Square kilometres | 10 |
| 1980s | 127,549 Square kilometres | 126,350 Square kilometres | 130,000 Square kilometres | 10 |
| 1990s | 137,324 Square kilometres | 131,000 Square kilometres | 141,300 Square kilometres | 10 |
| 2000s | 135,779 Square kilometres | 129,600 Square kilometres | 141,970 Square kilometres | 10 |
| 2010s | 124,713 Square kilometres | 124,130 Square kilometres | 129,630 Square kilometres | 10 |
| 2020s | 124,130 Square kilometres | 124,130 Square kilometres | 124,130 Square kilometres | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.59 % 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 0.2953 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use hidden — cropland in South Africa?
- Land use hidden — cropland in South Africa was 124,130 Square kilometres in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest land use hidden — cropland recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 141,970 Square kilometres in 2000.
- What is the lowest land use hidden — cropland recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 121,850 Square kilometres in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for land use hidden — cropland?
- South Africa ranks 25th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use hidden — cropland 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 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Land use hidden — Cropland. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Land resources are one of the four components of the natural environment: water, air, land and living resources. In this context land is both: a physical "milieu" necessary for the development of natural vegetation as well as cultivated vegetation; a resource for human activities. The data presented here give information concerning land use state and changes (e.g. agricultural land, forest land). Data source(s): Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N., (FAOSTAT) Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org Dataset release date: June 3, 2024 Database documentation Countries metadata