In geography, arable land (from Latin arare, to plough) is an agricultural term, meaning land that can be used for growing crops. It is distinct from cultivated land and includes jungles that are not currently used for human purposes.
Although constrained by land mass and topology, the amount of arable land, both regionally and globally fluctuates due to human and climactic factors such as irrigation, deforestation, desertification, terracing, landfill, and urban sprawl. Researchers study the impact of these changes on food production.
