Agricultural land in Zambia
Zambia: Agricultural land was 238,390 sq. km in 2023. ▲ Rising
Agricultural land in Zambia, 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 Zambia stood at 238,390 sq. km. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in Zambia peaked at 238,390 sq. km in 2017 and was at its lowest, 193,070 sq. km, in 1961.
That places Zambia 47th out of 210 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 195,389 sq. km | 193,070 sq. km | 198,040 sq. km | 9 |
| 1970s | 201,077 sq. km | 197,800 sq. km | 202,740 sq. km | 10 |
| 1980s | 202,847 sq. km | 198,460 sq. km | 207,600 sq. km | 10 |
| 1990s | 215,399 sq. km | 208,110 sq. km | 223,540 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 228,970 sq. km | 225,260 sq. km | 235,860 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 237,378 sq. km | 234,360 sq. km | 238,390 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 238,390 sq. km | 238,390 sq. km | 238,390 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
- Rural population 54.1% (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.9% (2025)
- Rural population 11.85 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 4.1% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.19 billion current US$ (2025)
- Land under cereal production 1.56 million hectares (2023)
- Cereal yield 2,344 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal production 3.66 million metric tons (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in Zambia?
- Agricultural land in Zambia was 238,390 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 238,390 sq. km in 2017.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 193,070 sq. km in 1961.
- How does Zambia rank for agricultural land?
- Zambia ranks 47th out of 210 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.