how much of land is used for agriculture

What percent of the Earth is used for agriculture?

Half of all habitable land is used for agriculture. 2. This leaves only 37% for forests; 11% as shrubs and grasslands; 1% as freshwater coverage; and the remaining 1% – a much smaller share than many suspect – is built-up urban area which includes cities, towns, villages, roads and other human infrastructure.

What are the three resources used in agriculture?

 · Half of all habitable land is used for agriculture. 2 This leaves only 37% for forests; 11% as shrubs and grasslands; 1% as freshwater coverage; and the remaining 1% – a much smaller share than many suspect – is built-up urban area which includes cities, towns, villages, roads and other human infrastructure.

How can land be saved for agriculture?

 · How Much Land Do We Use For Agriculture On Earth Of the land available on Earth, several sources indicate we use about 38% of it for agriculture as a global average One source puts that number as high as 50% When looking at the different human uses for land, agriculture is the major land use, with forestry being second.

What are the high inputs cost for agriculture?

 · About 52 percent of the 2012 U.S. land base (including Alaska and Hawaii) is used for agricultural purposes, including cropping, grazing (on pasture, range, and in forests), and farmsteads/farm roads. Chart data Embed this chart Download higher resolution chart (2083 pixels by 1667, 300 dpi) Land-use change occurs for a variety of reasons.

What percent is used for agriculture?

Today, the world population uses approximately 50 percent of total habitable land for agriculture.

What percent of US land is used for agriculture?

Agricultural land (% of land area) in United States was reported at 44.36 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources.

How much of US land is used for agriculture 2020?

896,600Total area of land in United States farms from 2000 to 2021 (in 1,000 acres)*CharacteristicLand in thousand acres2021895,3002020896,6002019897,4002018899,5009 more rows

What percent of US land is used for agriculture 2021?

52 percentAgricultural production is a major use of land, accounting for roughly 52 percent of the U.S. land base.

What is the majority of land used for?

Agriculture is a major use of land. Half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture. The extensive land use has a major impact on the earth’s environment as it reduces wilderness and threatens biodiversity.

What percentage of land is used for agriculture worldwide?

Global trends Globally agricultural land area is approximately five billion hectares, or 38 percent of the global land surface. About one-third of this is used as cropland, while the remaining two-thirds consist of meadows and pastures) for grazing livestock.

Will there be enough food in the year 2050?

By 2050, with the global population expected to reach 9.8 billion, our food supplies will be under far greater stress. Demand will be 60% higher than it is today, but climate change, urbanization, and soil degradation will have shrunk the availability of arable land, according to the World Economic Forum.

What state is number 1 in agriculture?

Texas was by far the leading U.S. state in terms of total number of farms, with about 247 thousand farms by the end of 2021. Missouri was ranked second, among the leading ten states, with 95 thousand farms as of 2021.

Who owns the most farmland in the US?

Bill GatesWith almost 269,000 acres, Bill Gates retained his ranking as America’s largest private farmland owner.

How much land does China own in the world?

As of 2019, a total of 191,000 acres of American land were owned by China. This is just a small part of the 30 to 35 million acres of foreign-owned land in the United States. But how much land is it, and what does it mean? China’s U.S. land holdings are worth around 2 billion dollars.

What uses the largest amount of land in the United States?

GARCIA: Yes. VANEK SMITH: And this is of course the largest use of land in the U.S. – that is, cow pasture – 654 million acres, plus the feed for the livestock, which is 127.4 million acres.

How much land in the US is used for agriculture How much of this land has been lost to development?

10% of the world’s arable acres lie within the United States. Agriculture contributes $992 billion to the American economy each year. 31 million acres of farmland lost to development, in total, between 1992 and 2012. That’s 175 acres per hour of agricultural land lost to development – 3 acres per minute.

What is the largest percentage of land use in the United States?

The Components of U.S. Land UseLand typeLand use (%)Land areaForests27%842,400 mi²Shrubland24%748,800 mi²Agriculture17%530,400 mi²Grasslands and Pasture17%530,400 mi²5 more rows•Jan 14, 2020

Which country has the most land for agriculture?

Indonesia tops the chart showing countries with the largest overall area, with 225,000 square kilometres taken by permanent cropland, or 12.4% of its total. Second on the list is China, with 160,000 sq km – some 1.7% of its total land area.

What percentage of land is used for agriculture?

Half of all habitable land is used for agriculture. 2. This leaves only 37% for forests; 11% as shrubs and grasslands; 1% as freshwater coverage; and the remaining 1% – a much smaller share than many suspect – is built-up urban area which includes cities, towns, villages, roads and other human infrastructure.

How much of the world’s land is livestock?

If we combine pastures used for grazing with land used to grow crops for animal feed, livestock accounts for 77% of global farming land. While livestock takes up most of the world’s agricultural land it only produces 18% …

How much protein is in animal products?

The global average per capita protein availability from vegetal products was 49 grams per person per day, and 32g from animal products. Animal products therefore accounted for [32 / (32 + 49) * 100] = 39% of the world’s protein.

What is the FAO?

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) provide global statistics on crop and food production, supply chains, and food available for human consumption.

What are the major uncertainties in the allocation of rangelands?

The major uncertainties – and explanation for discrepancies – in these assessments is the allocation of ‘rangelands’: in some regions it can be difficult to accurately quantify how much of rangelands are used for grazing, and how much is free from human pressure. Despite this uncertainty, most analyses tend to converge on an estimate of close to half of habitable land being used for agriculture.

How much of the world’s ice free land is used for farming?

If we rewind 1000 years, it is estimated that only 4 million square kilometers – less than 4% of the world’s ice-free and non-barren land area was used for farming. In the visualization we see the breakdown …

What is our world in data?

Our World in Data presents the empirical evidence on global development in entries dedicated to specific topics.

How much land is used for agriculture?

Globally agricultural land area is approximately five billion hectares, or 38 percent of the global land surface. About one-third of this is used as cropland, while the remaining two-thirds consist of meadows and pastures) for grazing livestock.

What is the distribution of agricultural land?

Regional distribution of agricultural land use is a combination of local agri-climatic edaphic – soil –conditions, and socio-economic drivers. Averaged over the decade between 2007 and 2016, the largest share of agricultural land area was in Asia, accounting for 1.6 global hectares (gha) or 34 percent, followed by the Americas (1.2 gha, or 25 percent) and Africa (1.1 gha, 24 percent), with Europe and Oceania representing each about 9-10 percent of the total.

Which country has the most irrigated land?

The two countries with the largest irrigated cropland area were India and China, with about 68 Mha each, followed by the United States (27 Mha), Pakistan (20 Mha) and Iran (9 Mha).

Why is land important for agriculture?

Land – a notion which broadly includes climate, topography, vegetation, soils and other natural resources – is the basis for agriculture, and the interaction between these components is vital for determining the productivity and sustainability of agro-ecosystems. Especially in the face of climate change and variability, selecting the right land uses for given biophysical and socio-economic conditions is essential for minimizing land degradation, rehabilitating degraded land, ensuring the sustainable use of land resources, and maximizing resilience.

Which region has the most land area for irrigation?

In terms of irrigation capacity, the region with the largest land area equipped for irrigation over the past decade was by far Asia, with 237 mega hectares (mha), or 70 percent of the world’s total, followed by the Americas (52 mha, or 16 percent), Europe (26 mha, 8 percent), Africa (15 mha, 5 percent) and Oceania (3 mha, 1 percent).

What is land used for agriculture?

Land used for agricultural production (like livestock and crop production) is referred to as agricultural land

How much of the world’s arable land is used for farming?

One-third of global arable land is used to grow feed. – globalagriculture.org. [Of the 51 million km squared area of habitable land used as agricultural land in the world, 40 million km squared is used for livestock/meat and dairy, and 11 million km squared is used for crops excluding feed.

What is arable land used for?

Some arable land is used to grow crops (such as corn, barley, oats, soy, and so on) that become feed for livestock (instead of going straight to human consumption), which technically means it’s part of the total land being used for livestock production.

What are the two types of agricultural land?

Different Types Of Agricultural Land. The two main types of agricultural land are: – Pasture/grazing/range land (also referred to as meadows) Used for livestock rearing and animal product production. – Arable/cropland (also referred to as cultivated land) Used for crop production.

How much of the world’s land is cropped?

At present some 11 percent (1.5 billion ha) of the globe’s land surface (13.4 billion ha) is used in crop production (arable land and land under permanent crops). This area represents slightly over a third (36 percent) of the land estimated to be to some degree suitable for crop production.

What is the majority of the world’s cultivated land used for?

When looking specifically at arable land and cropland, majority of the world’s cultivated land is used for crops that need to be replanted compared to crops that don’t need to be replanted.

How much land does beef cattle use?

Beef cattle [produce the world’s beef] using about 30 million square kilometers ( km2 ) of land—27 million of that for grazing, and the rest for the feed and forage they eat.

How has technology impacted land use?

The rapid adoption of new technology, improved crop varieties, improved insect and disease control, and other changes have boosted agricultural productivity to the extent that more production can be obtained from the same cropland base.

What are the three land types?

Although the shares of land in different uses have fluctuated to some degree over time, land area in the top three categories (grassland pasture and range, forest, and cropland) has remained relatively stable. Land dedicated to special uses, which includes land in State/national parks and wilderness areas, has increased substantially since …

Why is cropland acreage declining?

For example, wheat acreage has declined 52 percent from its historic high in the early 1980s, a trend attributable to a variety of factors, including a reduction in the relative profitability of wheat due to increased foreign competition, CRP participation in wheat-producing areas, and genetic refinements to corn and soybean varieties that allowed these crops to be planted in areas previously used primarily for wheat. In contrast, soybean acreage has more than doubled since the 1960s, primarily as a result of strong international demand, while corn acreage has also risen in recent years in response to policy-induced biofuel demand.

What are some regional changes in cropland used for crops?

Some regional changes in cropland used for crops represent year-to-year fluctuations that tend to balance out over time, but other areas (e.g. , the Northeast, Southeast, and Mountain regions) have experienced clear long-term declines.

Why does land use change?

Land-use change occurs for a variety of reasons. Changing commodity and timber prices, agricultural and natural resource policies, urban pressure, and environmental factors ( e.g., droughts) prompt private landowners to shift land to uses that maximize economic returns.

What is land dedicated to special uses?

Land dedicated to special uses, which includes land in State/national parks and wilderness areas, has increased substantially since the MLU series began 1945. Urban land use has also increased, albeit more modestly, as population and economic growth spur demand for new housing and other forms of development.

Is land use change bidirectional?

While land-use change can be bidirectional for some uses —such as forestry, grassland, and cropland—conversions to an urban use are typically irreversible. As part of the Major Land Uses program, ERS analyzes trends in all of these uses and examines factors driving broad land-use patterns and trends.

Where is land used in the United States?

Regional land-use patterns vary with differences in soil, climate, topography, and population. Cropland is roughly concentrated in the central regions of the contiguous United States; pasture and range in the more arid West; and forest land (both grazed and not grazed) in the East, where the topography and precipitation patterns are conducive to growing trees. The Northeast and Southeast have the highest shares of urban land, while 80 percent of the total acreage in parks, recreation, and wildlife uses are in the Mountain and Pacific regions and in Alaska.

How many acres of land were used in 2007?

In 2007, 408 million acres of agricultural land were in cropland (down 17 percent from 1949), 614 million acres were in pasture and range (down 3 percent), 127 million acres were in grazed forestland (down 52 percent), and 12 million acres were in farmsteads and farm roads (down 19 percent). Nonagricultural uses have increased from 37 to 49 percent of the land base, largely due to a fourfold increase in National Parks and National Wilderness/Wildlife areas, particularly in Alaska.

How many acres are in the MLU?

Land in rural transportation, defense, and industrial uses is estimated at nearly 50 million acres, which are included in the MLU ‘special uses’ category. Together, about 214 million acres, or 9 percent of the land base, are in urban areas or in developed uses outside urban areas. You may also be interested in…

Why are some acres converted to urban uses?

Some acres are converted to urban uses to serve the needs of a growing population. These factors have combined to cause a long-term net decline in grazing acreage, from over 1 billion acres in 1949 to 741 million acres in 2007. Every year, some rural land is converted to developed uses.

Is grazing land a crop?

Grazing lands generally are less suited for crop production than for other uses. Substantial acreage used for grazing has shifted to recreational, wildlife, and environmental uses. Under favorable growing conditions, particularly in the South, pasture land may revert to forest. Some acres are converted to urban uses to serve the needs of a growing population. These factors have combined to cause a long-term net decline in grazing acreage, from over 1 billion acres in 1949 to 741 million acres in 2007.

Which region has the most urban land?

The Northeast and Southeast have the highest shares of urban land, while 80 percent of the total acreage in parks, recreation, and wildlife uses are in the Mountain and Pacific regions and in Alaska. Grazing lands generally are less suited for crop production than for other uses.

Is cropland stable?

Since 1980, cropland used for crops has been relatively stable, despite significant variation in commodity prices (see ‘ Commodity Prices Vary More Than U.S. Cropland Acreage ‘). Relatively stable patterns of changes in land use at the national level obscure larger shifts in land use at regional and State levels.

How can farmers increase agricultural productivity?

Farmers could increase agricultural productivity by boosting crop yields — either through new farming techniques or through improved crop genetics. But even if the rapid rate of improvement in crop yields over the 20th century continued, that still wouldn’t produce enough food for everyone. Another possibility, as the map above shows, is …

How much of the world’s crop calories are eaten by humans?

Just 55% of the world’s crop calories are directly eaten by people. Just 55 percent of the world’s crop calories are actually eaten directly by people. Another 36 percent is used for animal feed. And the remaining 9 percent goes toward biofuels and other industrial uses.

Where did the map of the world come from?

The map itself comes from Jonathan Foley’s fascinating, visually rich exploration in National Geographic of how we can possibly feed everyone as the world’s population grows from 7 billion today to 9 billion by mid-century. (Foley directs the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment .)

What percentage of soy goes to animal feed?

By contrast, more than 67 percent of crops — particularly all the soy grown in the Midwest — goes to animal feed. And a portion of the rest goes to ethanol and other biofuels. Some of that animal feed eventually becomes food, obviously — but it’s a much, much more indirect process. It takes about 100 calories of grain to produce just 12 calories …

Is animal feed efficient?

And animal feed is also an inefficient way of feeding people — about one-tenth as efficient, on a calorie basis, as eating crops directly. One implication of that is that, as countries like China and India grow and consume more milk and meat, the pressure on global farmland will grow.

How much land is in forests?

On the flipside, forests account for over a quarter of land in the U.S., divided almost evenly between deciduous and evergreen trees. Many protected national and state parks can also be found in and around forests.

How much land does an urban area take up?

It’s clear that even a little space goes a long way. Although urban areas take up only 2% of land, an overwhelming majority of Americans call cities their home. As of 2018, urbanites made up over 82% of the U.S. population.

Where are soybeans exported?

Much of these crops feed not only Americans, but other parts of the world too. Soybeans, corn, and wheat are exported across the Pacific mainly to China and Japan. Corn, in particular, is a unique crop with a myriad of uses, from food to fuels.

What percentage of corn is used in ethanol?

In the United States, federal mandates require vehicles to use a blend of gasoline and biofuels like ethanol— 94% of which is produced from the starch in corn grain. Therefore, a large portion of U.S. corn goes into ethanol production.

How much corn is used in animal feed?

100%. Corn accounts for more than 96% of U.S. feed grain use and production. As a result, animal feed makes up nearly 40% of the country’s corn usage. This is because corn is a rich source of carbohydrates, and in combination with protein from soybeans, it can make for an effective diet for livestock.

How much corn is used for livestock?

Up to 40% of U.S. corn is turned into livestock feed, with cows consuming over half ( 56%) of this amount. At present, the U.S. is the world’s largest beef producer, followed by Brazil. In fact, beef production takes up 40% of total livestock-related land use domestically.

Which state has the most forests?

Many protected national and state parks can also be found in and around forests. On the mainland, California and Oregon are the states with the most forested land—unfortunately, they have also been plagued by wildfires in recent, dry summer months.

How much land would cropland take up?

Gathered together, cropland would take up more than a fifth of the 48 contiguous states. Pasture and rangeland would cover most of the Western U.S., and all of the country’s cities and towns would fit neatly in the Northeast.

How much land is used for airports?

land is used. Much of U.S. land serves specific purposes, such as the 2 million acres devoted to golf courses or the 3 million acres for airports.

How many acres are rural lands?

This category does not equally correlate to data in the National Land Cover Database, so Bloomberg subtracted the total of the other miscellaneous components to arrive at a rough estimate of “rural residential lands”—about 50 million acres.

What is the last major category of land categorized by the USDA?

Forestland is the last major category of land categorized by the USDA. Unprotected forests and timberland constitute a quarter of the contiguous U.S.

What percentage of the US land is used for citrus?

More than one-third of U.S. land is used for pasture—by far the largest land-use type in the contiguous 48 states. And nearly 25 percent of that land is administered by the federal government, with most occurring in the West.

What percentage of corn is used for ethanol?

More than a third of the entire corn crop is devoted to ethanol production. Most cropland is used for livestock feed, exports or is left idle to let the land recover. While the U.S. benefits from an overall agricultural trade surplus, Americans imported 15 percent of their food and beverage products in 2016.

What is classified as a special use area?

The USDA categorizes national parks, wildlife areas, highways, railroads and military bases as special-use areas. And another USDA land classification—miscellaneous—includes cemeteries, golf courses, marshes, deserts and other areas of “low economic value.”