Area of permanent meadows and pastures in China
China: Area of permanent meadows and pastures was 392.83 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
392.83 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 209 countries
All-time high
392.83 million hectares
in 1994
All-time low
238.00 million hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Area of permanent meadows and pastures in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, area of permanent meadows and pastures in China stood at 392.83 million hectares. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, area of permanent meadows and pastures in China peaked at 392.83 million hectares in 1994 and was at its lowest, 238.00 million hectares, in 1961.
China ranks 1st of 209 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Area of permanent meadows and pastures in China, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 238.00 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 241.00 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 244.00 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 247.00 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 251.00 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 255.00 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 259.00 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 263.00 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 268.00 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 273.00 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 278.00 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 283.00 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 289.00 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 295.00 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 301.00 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 307.00 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 313.00 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 319.08 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 323.69 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 328.30 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 332.91 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 337.52 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 342.13 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 346.74 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 351.35 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 355.96 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 360.57 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 365.18 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 369.79 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 374.39 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 379.00 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 383.61 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 388.22 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 392.83 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 392.83 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 392.83 million hectares | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 392.83 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.16 million hectares, 338.8× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 392.83 million hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 173,000 hectares, 2270.7× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 251.78 million hectares | 238.00 million hectares | 268.00 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 298.18 million hectares | 273.00 million hectares | 323.69 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 349.04 million hectares | 328.30 million hectares | 369.79 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 388.22 million hectares | 374.39 million hectares | 392.83 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 392.83 million hectares | 392.83 million hectares | 392.83 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 392.83 million hectares | 392.83 million hectares | 392.83 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 392.83 million hectares | 392.83 million hectares | 392.83 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is area of permanent meadows and pastures in China?
- Area of permanent meadows and pastures in China was 392.83 million hectares 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 area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 392.83 million hectares in 1994.
- What is the lowest area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 238.00 million hectares in 1961.
- How does China rank for area of permanent meadows and pastures?
- China ranks 1st out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
- Is area of permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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 Area of permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This is the land used for livestock grazing. The total land use for livestock farming is higher as it additionally requires cropland used to grow animal feed.