South Africa: Percent agricultural land

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
 South Africa

Percent agricultural land

 Latest value 79.42
 Year 2021
 Measure percent
 Data availability 1961 - 2021
 Average 79.35
 Min - Max 77.52 - 83.53
 Source The World Bank
The latest value from 2021 is 79.42 percent, unchanged from 79.42 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 38.17 percent, based on data from 193 countries. Historically, the average for South Africa from 1961 to 2021 is 79.35 percent. The minimum value, 77.52 percent, was reached in 1981 while the maximum of 83.53 percent was recorded in 1961. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.
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* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Recent data
South Africa - Percent agricultural land - Recent values chart

Historical series
South Africa - Percent agricultural land - historical chart - 1961-2021




The data show what percent of the land in South Africa is arable or is used for crops or pasture.
Definition: Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.

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 Related indicators Latest Reference Measure
 Forest area, percent 14.0 2022 percent
 Percent agricultural land 79.42 2021 percent
 Employment in agriculture 19.26 2022 percent
 GDP share of agriculture 2.62 2023 percent
 Agriculture value added 9.96 2023 billion U.S. dollars
 Agricultural land 963,410 2021 sq. km.
 Crop production index 124.1 2022 index points
 Precipitation 495 2021 mm per year
 Arable land, percent of land area 9.9 2022 percent
 Cereal crop yield by hectar 4,964 2022 kg per hectar
 Food production index 113.2 2022 index points
 Fertilizer use 91.5 2022 kg per hectare of arable land
 Livestock production index 103.2 2022 index points
 Forest area, sq.km 169,772.9 2022 sq. km
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