Industry and agriculture values correlate
Comparing Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) with Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) across 194 countries, 2015–2025.
- Rank correlation
- +0.83
- Holding size constant
- +0.43
- Countries compared
- 194
- Period
- 2015–2025
What might link these
The relationship between industry and agriculture values might be linked through economic development, as countries with strong industry sectors often also have significant agricultural outputs. However, a careful reader should be cautious about assuming a direct relationship, considering factors like technological advancements or government subsidies that could influence both sectors. Urbanization could be a likely confounder, affecting both indicators.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. This correlation could mislead by implying a direct link between the two sectors, when in fact they might both be driven by broader economic or demographic trends.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.