On March 15, 2026

Top 20 Countries by Population — Land & Agriculture Profile

Sources: UN World Population Prospects 2025; CIA/World Bank land area; FAO/World Bank arable land 2023; World Bank GDP sector composition 2024 (US: USDA 2021). Arable % = arable km² ÷ total land km². Per capita = arable ha ÷ population. Density = population ÷ land km².

The Ag GDP figure includes forestry, fishing, and livestock alongside crop cultivation.

• Per Capita Arable Land is calculated in acres: 1 ha = 2.471 acres.
• “Land Sustenance” is (Population / Arable Land in acres) ⇒ x persons receiving their sustenance per acre.

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China's agricultural system is extraordinarily intensive: high-yield rice paddies, massive aquaculture operations (China produces ~60% of the world's farmed fish), and large-scale horticulture. The figure also reflects domestic pricing — food prices in China are relatively high, which inflates nominal value added compared to countries with cheaper food baskets.

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Egypt is one of the most land-constrained agricultural systems on Earth — essentially all farming happens in the Nile Valley and Delta, which constitutes roughly 3-4% of the country's total territory. That strip has been under continuous cultivation for ~5,000 years.

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Arable Land and Ag Economy