What is the lowest share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures recorded in United States?

The lowest recorded value was 25.64 percent in 1997.

How does United States rank for share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures?

United States ranks 52nd out of 209 countries with data for 2023.

Is share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in United States?

Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this United States data come from?

The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States

Name: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

United States: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures was 29.17 percent in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)

29.17 percent

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

52nd

of 209 countries

All-time high

29.17 percent

in 2017

All-time low

25.64 percent

in 1997

Years of data

1961–2023

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States, 1961–2023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in percent.

Analysis

In 2023, share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States stood at 29.17 percent. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.

The figure is up 0.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States peaked at 29.17 percent in 2017 and was at its lowest, 25.64 percent, in 1997.

That places United States 52nd out of 209 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.

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States, year by year

Annual values for Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States, 1961 to 2023.
Year	percent	Change
1961	28.93 percent	—
1962	28.93 percent	+0.0%
1963	28.39 percent	-1.9%
1964	28.3 percent	-0.3%
1965	28.11 percent	-0.7%
1966	27.92 percent	-0.7%
1967	27.73 percent	-0.7%
1968	27.54 percent	-0.7%
1969	27.36 percent	-0.7%
1970	27.17 percent	-0.7%
1971	26.98 percent	-0.7%
1972	26.79 percent	-0.7%
1973	26.6 percent	-0.7%
1974	26.42 percent	-0.7%
1975	26.42 percent	+0.0%
1976	26.42 percent	+0.0%
1977	26.43 percent	+0.0%
1978	25.94 percent	-1.9%
1979	25.94 percent	+0.0%
1980	25.94 percent	+0.0%
1981	25.94 percent	+0.0%
1982	26.38 percent	+1.7%
1983	26.38 percent	+0.0%
1984	26.38 percent	+0.0%
1985	26.38 percent	+0.0%
1986	26.38 percent	+0.0%
1987	26.11 percent	-1.0%
1988	26.11 percent	+0.0%
1989	26.11 percent	+0.0%
1990	26.11 percent	+0.0%
1991	26.11 percent	+0.0%
1992	26.12 percent	+0.0%
1993	25.99 percent	-0.5%
1994	25.88 percent	-0.4%
1995	25.77 percent	-0.4%
1996	25.66 percent	-0.4%
1997	25.64 percent	-0.1%
1998	25.69 percent	+0.2%
1999	25.75 percent	+0.2%
2000	25.79 percent	+0.2%
2001	25.85 percent	+0.2%
2002	25.91 percent	+0.2%
2003	26.15 percent	+0.9%
2004	26.39 percent	+0.9%
2005	26.63 percent	+0.9%
2006	26.87 percent	+0.9%
2007	27.11 percent	+0.9%
2008	27.52 percent	+1.5%
2009	27.89 percent	+1.3%
2010	28.26 percent	+1.3%
2011	28.63 percent	+1.3%
2012	29 percent	+1.3%
2013	29.03 percent	+0.1%
2014	29.07 percent	+0.1%
2015	29.1 percent	+0.1%
2016	29.13 percent	+0.1%
2017	29.17 percent	+0.1%
2018	29.17 percent	+0.0%
2019	29.17 percent	+0.0%
2020	29.17 percent	+0.0%
2021	29.17 percent	+0.0%
2022	29.17 percent	+0.0%
2023	29.17 percent	+0.0%

United States compared with similar countries

United States's 29.17 percent is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.66 percent, 3.0× the median. (71 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	28.13 percent	27.36 percent	28.93 percent	9
1970s	26.51 percent	25.94 percent	27.17 percent	10
1980s	26.21 percent	25.94 percent	26.38 percent	10
1990s	25.87 percent	25.64 percent	26.12 percent	10
2000s	26.61 percent	25.79 percent	27.89 percent	10
2010s	28.97 percent	28.26 percent	29.17 percent	10
2020s	29.17 percent	29.17 percent	29.17 percent	4

Countries ranked near United States

49 Bolivia 30.46 percent compare
50 Congo 29.28 percent compare
51 Azerbaijan 29.21 percent compare
53 Senegal 29.09 percent compare
54 Mali 28.39 percent compare
55 Isle of Man 27.97 percent compare

See the full ranking of 210 places →

More reference data data for United States

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States?: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States was 29.17 percent in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures recorded in United States?: The highest recorded value was 29.17 percent in 2017.
What is the lowest share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures recorded in United States?: The lowest recorded value was 25.64 percent in 1997.
How does United States rank for share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures?: United States ranks 52nd out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
Is share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in United States?: Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States data come from?: The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in United States. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/area-meadows-and-pastures/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures
Unit: percent
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 210 places, 12,094 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Permanent meadows and pastures are areas used permanently (five years or more) for herbaceous forage crops, either cultivated or growing wild (wild prairie or grazing land).