About this resource
FAOSTAT is the global agricultural statistics database maintained by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), providing food and agriculture data for more than 245 countries and territories from 1961 to the present, covering all FAO regional groupings. It is a foundational data source for research on agricultural economics, food security, rural development and land use.
Content and features
- Domains: agricultural production and trade, food balance sheets, food security indicators, land use, fertilisers and pesticides, agricultural emissions.
- Time span: most domains run from 1961 to the latest available year, supporting long-term trend analysis.
- Access: online query, bulk CSV download and API, with country and regional aggregates.
Licence and use
- Licence: the database is freely accessible; use must follow FAO’s terms and cite the source.
- Citation: cite “FAO. FAOSTAT Statistical Database” with the specific domain and access date.
- Distribution: use FAO’s official channels as the data source and retain FAO’s statements when redistributing.
Notes for researchers
FAOSTAT uses internationally harmonised classifications, but reporting quality varies between countries and historical data are revised over time. For cross-country or cross-year comparison, check indicator definitions, units and version dates, prefer the latest official release, and — for sensitive measures such as food security — cross-check with FAO methodology documents.
Sources and version: this entry is a resource index pointing to a third-party open database; content and data rights belong to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and licence terms follow the latest terms of the source site.