Agricultural land in South Korea
South Korea: Agricultural land was 15,680 sq. km in 2023. ▼ Falling
Agricultural land in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural land in South Korea is 15,680 sq. km, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in South Korea peaked at 23,430 sq. km in 1968 and was at its lowest, 15,680 sq. km, in 2023.
That places South Korea 128th out of 210 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 22,327 sq. km | 20,810 sq. km | 23,430 sq. km | 9 |
| 1970s | 22,756 sq. km | 22,520 sq. km | 23,240 sq. km | 10 |
| 1980s | 22,267 sq. km | 21,970 sq. km | 22,470 sq. km | 10 |
| 1990s | 20,652 sq. km | 19,540 sq. km | 21,790 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 18,823 sq. km | 17,950 sq. km | 19,730 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 17,237 sq. km | 16,370 sq. km | 17,880 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,940 sq. km | 15,680 sq. km | 16,210 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More agriculture & rural data for South Korea
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2024)
- Rural population 18.8% (2025)
- Rural population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Rural population 9.73 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 27.42 billion current US$ (2025)
- Land under cereal production 776,099 hectares (2023)
- Cereal yield 6,615 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal production 5.13 million metric tons (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in South Korea?
- Agricultural land in South Korea was 15,680 sq. km in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest agricultural land recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 23,430 sq. km in 1968.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,680 sq. km in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for agricultural land?
- South Korea ranks 128th out of 210 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Agricultural land (sq. km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Agricultural land refers to the 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.