# Open arable land as a percentage of farmland

A thematic map of the Atlas of Switzerland, the national atlas published by ETH Zurich. The map is drawn in the browser; this file describes it and lists its variants and links, but not the data values shown on the map.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/open-arable-land-as-a-percentage-of-farmland/
- Short title: Open arable land
- Map id: 764
- Categories: Economy and Energy › Farming › Farmlands
- Keywords: Agriculture, Economy, Food products, Labour, Landscape
- Published: 2020-06-19
- Last revised: 2020-09-10
- Content language: English
- Other languages: [Deutsch](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/de/thema/anteil-offener-ackerflaechen-an-landwirtschaftlicher-nutzflaeche.md), [Français](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/fr/theme/part-des-terres-arables-ouvertes-dans-la-surface-agricole-utile.md), [Italiano](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/it/tema/quota-di-superfici-coltive-aperte-sul-totale-della-superficie-agricola-utile.md)

## Description

In 2019, the utilised agricultural area mainly comprised natural meadows and pastures (605,700 ha or 58% of the UAA). Arable farming was practised on 398,800 hectares (38% of the UAA). The rest of the land (38,200 ha, 4% of the UAA) consisted of vineyards (13,400 ha) and orchards (7,000 ha), among other things.

Crops were grown differently in 2019, with the cultivated area for wheat (73,600 ha) falling by 2.8% and for sugar beet decreasing by a further 1,000 hectares, to 17,600 hectares in 2019. The cultivated area for vegetables also declined (11,900 ha, -2.1%) after several years of growth, whereas the area dedicated to sunflowers increased in 2019 (5,900 ha, +9.6%). The cultivated areas for oats (1,700 ha, +5.2%) and spelt (5,700 ha, +6%) showed particularly strong growth. Some niche crops such as millet, sorghum, hemp and lentils also gained ground.

In the meantime, organic farming has become a firm fixture of Swiss agriculture and is practised on 16% of farmland. Organically cultivated farmland accounts for 21% of vegetables, 29% of pulses and 10% of vines. Sugar beets, however, are not well represented at only 1%.

## Sources

- FSO (2020): Farm structure census 2019. Neuchâtel

## Data sources

- Atlas of Switzerland: [Administrative Einheiten 1:500.000 (Gemeinden, Bezirke, Kantone)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- FSO (2020): Farm structure census 2019. Neuchâtel
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Gemeindegrenzen GG25](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/landscape/boundaries3D)
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Landeskarte 1:500.000](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/maps/national/lk500)

## Data owners

- [Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO)](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo)](http://www.swisstopo.admin.ch/)

## Citation

The terms of use ask to name the Atlas of Switzerland and the data owners, and to keep the source references in exports, screenshots and embeds. Cite the map as:

> Atlas of Switzerland (2020): Open arable land as a percentage of farmland. ETH Zürich. Map data © FSO, swisstopo. https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/open-arable-land-as-a-percentage-of-farmland/

## Variants

The map has 20 variants. Levels: spatial unit → time. The `u` value of a variant selects it in the links below.

- Cantons
  - 1975: `u=AEIAAwAA`
  - 1980: `u=AAQAAwAA`
  - 1985: `u=AEEAAwAA`
  - 1990: `u=AAMAAwAA`
  - 1996: `u=ABQAAwAA`
  - 2000: `u=AAIAAwAA`
  - 2005: `u=AAgAAwAA`
  - 2010: `u=AAEAAwAA`
  - 2015: `u=AmAAAwAA`
  - 2019: `u=AxYAAwAA` (default)
- Communes
  - 1975: `u=AEIABQAA`
  - 1980: `u=AAQABQAA`
  - 1985: `u=AEEABQAA`
  - 1990: `u=AAMABQAA`
  - 1996: `u=ABQABQAA`
  - 2000: `u=AAIABQAA`
  - 2005: `u=AAgABQAA`
  - 2010: `u=AAEABQAA`
  - 2015: `u=AmAABQAA`
  - 2019: `u=AxYABQAA`

## Links

Replace `{u}` with the `u` value of a variant above, or leave out `u={u}` for the default variant. The map opens at its full extent; a link cannot set the map position.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/open-arable-land-as-a-percentage-of-farmland/?u={u}
- Short link, stays valid when the title changes: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/t/764/?u={u}
- Side by side with another map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/comparison/?lt=764&lu={u}&rt={id of the other map}&ru={u of the other map, or leave out}

Embed in another website (allowed by the terms of use, as long as the source references stay visible):

```html
<iframe src="https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/embed/?id=764&u={u}&dm=e&ig=1" style="border:0;width:100%;height:600px;max-width:100%;" loading="lazy" title="Thematic map 'Open arable land' in the Atlas of Switzerland" allowfullscreen sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups" allow="geolocation" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"></iframe>
```

In the embed URL, `dm` sets what is shown: `e` the map with its title bar (default), `p` also the values of an object clicked on the map, `m` only the map with a button that opens it in the atlas. `ig=1` (default) lets the map react to scrolling and dragging only after a click into it, `ig=0` right away. The size can be changed in `style`.

## Related maps

- [Grassland as a percentage of farmland](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/grassland-as-a-percentage-of-farmland.md) (id 766)
- [Permanent crops as a percentage of farmland](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/permanent-crops-as-a-percentage-of-farmland.md) (id 768)
- [Utilised agricultural areas per farm](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/utilised-agricultural-areas-per-farm.md) (id 763, former edition, desktop atlas only)
- [Land cover and land use: profiles of the municipalties](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/land-cover-and-land-use-profiles-of-the-municipalties.md) (id 654, former edition, desktop atlas only)

For the use and citation of maps and data, see the [terms of use](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/terms-of-use/).