What is area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO)?

Area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO) was 784.74 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 OECD (FAO)?

The highest recorded value was 956.23 million hectares in 1968.

What is the lowest area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in OECD (FAO)?

The lowest recorded value was 767.88 million hectares in 2016.

How does OECD (FAO) rank for area of permanent meadows and pastures?

OECD (FAO) ranks 1st out of 1 groups with data for 2023.

Is area of permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in OECD (FAO)?

Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this OECD (FAO) 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.

Area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO)

Name: Area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO)
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)

OECD (FAO): Area of permanent meadows and pastures was 784.74 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)

784.74 million hectares

Change on year

down 0.0%

Rank

1st

of 1 groups

All-time high

956.23 million hectares

in 1968

All-time low

767.88 million hectares

in 2016

Years of data

1961–2023

Area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO), 1961–2023

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

Analysis

OECD (FAO) recorded 784.74 million hectares for area of permanent meadows and pastures in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO) peaked at 956.23 million hectares in 1968 and was at its lowest, 767.88 million hectares, in 2016.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.

Area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO), year by year

Annual values for Area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO), 1961 to 2023.
Year	hectares	Change
1961	936.36 million hectares	—
1962	937.54 million hectares	+0.1%
1963	935.34 million hectares	-0.2%
1964	936.38 million hectares	+0.1%
1965	938.01 million hectares	+0.2%
1966	935.93 million hectares	-0.2%
1967	936.41 million hectares	+0.1%
1968	956.23 million hectares	+2.1%
1969	953.34 million hectares	-0.3%
1970	934.75 million hectares	-1.9%
1971	940.07 million hectares	+0.6%
1972	938.67 million hectares	-0.1%
1973	937.06 million hectares	-0.2%
1974	937.72 million hectares	+0.1%
1975	938.34 million hectares	+0.1%
1976	938.84 million hectares	+0.1%
1977	928.19 million hectares	-1.1%
1978	926.20 million hectares	-0.2%
1979	921.79 million hectares	-0.5%
1980	922.75 million hectares	+0.1%
1981	921.67 million hectares	-0.1%
1982	918.64 million hectares	-0.3%
1983	912.91 million hectares	-0.6%
1984	912.54 million hectares	-0.0%
1985	913.34 million hectares	+0.1%
1986	895.30 million hectares	-2.0%
1987	896.84 million hectares	+0.2%
1988	899.58 million hectares	+0.3%
1989	896.03 million hectares	-0.4%
1990	893.50 million hectares	-0.3%
1991	890.74 million hectares	-0.3%
1992	896.03 million hectares	+0.6%
1993	889.43 million hectares	-0.7%
1994	896.68 million hectares	+0.8%
1995	890.71 million hectares	-0.7%
1996	888.77 million hectares	-0.2%
1997	882.90 million hectares	-0.7%
1998	885.28 million hectares	+0.3%
1999	874.19 million hectares	-1.3%
2000	875.72 million hectares	+0.2%
2001	875.88 million hectares	+0.0%
2002	868.81 million hectares	-0.8%
2003	863.38 million hectares	-0.6%
2004	818.59 million hectares	-5.2%
2005	835.74 million hectares	+2.1%
2006	837.88 million hectares	+0.3%
2007	829.54 million hectares	-1.0%
2008	819.46 million hectares	-1.2%
2009	812.92 million hectares	-0.8%
2010	807.87 million hectares	-0.6%
2011	823.38 million hectares	+1.9%
2012	814.99 million hectares	-1.0%
2013	799.16 million hectares	-1.9%
2014	798.82 million hectares	-0.0%
2015	772.79 million hectares	-3.3%
2016	767.88 million hectares	-0.6%
2017	796.35 million hectares	+3.7%
2018	782.29 million hectares	-1.8%
2019	786.37 million hectares	+0.5%
2020	779.36 million hectares	-0.9%
2021	785.51 million hectares	+0.8%
2022	785.13 million hectares	-0.0%
2023	784.74 million hectares	-0.0%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	940.62 million hectares	935.34 million hectares	956.23 million hectares	9
1970s	934.16 million hectares	921.79 million hectares	940.07 million hectares	10
1980s	908.96 million hectares	895.30 million hectares	922.75 million hectares	10
1990s	888.82 million hectares	874.19 million hectares	896.68 million hectares	10
2000s	843.79 million hectares	812.92 million hectares	875.88 million hectares	10
2010s	794.99 million hectares	767.88 million hectares	823.38 million hectares	10
2020s	783.69 million hectares	779.36 million hectares	785.51 million hectares	4

Countries ranked near OECD (FAO)

1 China 392.83 million hectares compare
2 Australia 331.87 million hectares compare
3 USSR 326.50 million hectares compare
4 United States 266.81 million hectares compare

See the full ranking of 210 places →

More reference data data for OECD (FAO)

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures 23.01 percent (2023)
FAO projections of arable land 382.61 million hectares (2023)
Land area in hectares 3.41 billion hectares (2023)
Area of permanent meadows and pastures, annual growth rate -0.0498 % change on previous year (2023)
Land area in hectares, annual growth rate 0.0009 % change on previous year (2023)
FAO projections of arable land, annual growth rate -0.2474 % change on previous year (2023)
Area meadows and pastures, annual growth rate -0.0434 % change on previous year (2023)
Share of arable land which is organic 6.4 percent (2023)

All data for OECD (FAO) →

Frequently asked questions

What is area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO)?: Area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO) was 784.74 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 OECD (FAO)?: The highest recorded value was 956.23 million hectares in 1968.
What is the lowest area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in OECD (FAO)?: The lowest recorded value was 767.88 million hectares in 2016.
How does OECD (FAO) rank for area of permanent meadows and pastures?: OECD (FAO) ranks 1st out of 1 groups with data for 2023.
Is area of permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in OECD (FAO)?: Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this OECD (FAO) 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.

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Area of permanent meadows and pastures in OECD (FAO). Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/area-of-permanent-meadows-and-pastures/oecd-fao/

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About this data

Indicator: Area of permanent meadows and pastures
Unit: hectares
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: 30 October 2026

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.