Ireland: Agricultural land (sq. km)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Ireland's agricultural land (sq. km) rose 7.1% on 2023 (from 41,890 to 44,880).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.2% and a typical year strayed about 1.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 3.8 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 8.3% in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 3.9% in 2021. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 20% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Ireland had the 92nd highest value of the 208 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Ireland in the 2024 ranking

• Benin — 89th of 208: 48,646
• Azerbaijan — 90th of 208: 47,742
• Japan — 91st of 208: 45,820
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 93rd of 208: 42,290
• Sierra Leone — 94th of 208: 39,875
• Tajikistan — 95th of 208: 38,875

What this measures

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.

Limitations: The data are collected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through annual questionnaires. The FAO tries to impose standard definitions and reporting methods, but complete consistency across countries and over time is not possible. Thus, data on agricultural land in different climates may not be comparable. For example, permanent pastures are quite different in nature and intensity in African countries and dry Middle Eastern countries. To address some of these concerns, this indicator is heavily footnoted in the database in sources, definition, and coverage.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 64 values

Agricultural land (sq. km) in nearby economies

• Albania — 11,265 (2024)
• Andorra — 195.9 (2024)
• Armenia — 16,739 (2024)
• Austria — 25,667 (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 47,742 (2024)
• Belarus — 79,293 (2024)
• Belgium — 13,542 (2024)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 11,485 (2024)
• Bulgaria — 50,140 (2024)
• Channel Islands — 85.7 (2021)
• Croatia — 14,670 (2024)
• Cyprus

More environment data for Ireland

• Population in largest city — 1.3 million (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 36.68% (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million — 1.3 million (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) — 23.69% (2025)
• Rural population — 1.94 million (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 35.41% (2025)
• Urban population — 3.54 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 64.59% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 37,632 (2024)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Ireland's agricultural land (sq. km)?

44,880 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1961?

It is down 1.54% from 45,580 in 1961. The highest value was 49,315 in 1980 and the lowest 41,890 in 2023.

How does Ireland rank?

92nd highest of 208 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in agricultural land (sq. km) unusual for Ireland?

In 2024, Ireland's agricultural land (sq. km) rose 7.1% on 2023 (from 41,890 to 44,880). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.2% and a typical year strayed about 1.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 3.8 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Where does this data come from?

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator AG.LND.AGRI.K2, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original 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) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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