Agricultural land in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Agricultural land was 170,094 sq. km in 2023. ▼ Falling
Agricultural land in United Kingdom, 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
In 2023, agricultural land in United Kingdom stood at 170,094 sq. km.
That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in United Kingdom peaked at 198,000 sq. km in 1961 and was at its lowest, 169,530 sq. km, in 2001.
United Kingdom ranks 53rd of 210 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 196,138 sq. km | 193,800 sq. km | 198,000 sq. km | 9 |
| 1970s | 186,353 sq. km | 184,520 sq. km | 188,490 sq. km | 10 |
| 1980s | 182,631 sq. km | 181,160 sq. km | 184,690 sq. km | 10 |
| 1990s | 176,554 sq. km | 172,190 sq. km | 182,030 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 172,350 sq. km | 169,530 sq. km | 178,380 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 172,879 sq. km | 171,380 sq. km | 175,213 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 172,246 sq. km | 170,094 sq. km | 174,145 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More agriculture & rural data for United Kingdom
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.1% (2025)
- Rural population 16.7% (2025)
- Rural population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Rural population 11.59 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 0.6% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 25.62 billion current US$ (2025)
- Land under cereal production 3.09 million hectares (2023)
- Cereal yield 7,138 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal production 22.05 million metric tons (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in United Kingdom?
- Agricultural land in United Kingdom was 170,094 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 198,000 sq. km in 1961.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 169,530 sq. km in 2001.
- How does United Kingdom rank for agricultural land?
- United Kingdom ranks 53rd out of 210 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.
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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.