Spatial Distribution of Global Cultivated Land and Its Variation between 2000 and 2010, from Both Agro-Ecological and Geopolitical Perspectives

Food security requires a thorough understanding of the spatial characteristics of cultivated land changes on a global scale. In particular, the spatial heterogeneity of global cultivated land changes needs to be evaluated with high spatial resolution data. This study aims to analyse the spatial distribution of global cultivated land and the characteristics of its variation, by using GlobeLand30 data for 2000 and 2010 with a 30-m spatial resolution. The cultivated land percentage and rate of cultivated land use change are calculated based on 18 agro-ecological zones (AEZs), 32 geopolitical and socioeconomic regions, and 283 world regions. The results show that (1) more cultivated land is located in regions under a temperate climate and moderate moisture conditions; (2) the percentage of cultivated land is related to the gross domestic product (GDP) and population, while increases and decreases in cultivated land are related to the rural population, policy encouragement, urbanization, and economic development; and (3) the percentage of cultivated land and rate of land use change within an AEZ vary greatly due to the different socioeconomic conditions, and the values within a geopolitical area also vary, due to different natural conditions.