ABSTRACT
Spatial differences in farm size and landownership are one of the most distinctive features of the agricultural geography of the world. Not only are there marked differences between continents in average size of holding (Table 13.1), but also within countries. For example, in England and Wales, large farms are more important in the east and the south-east than in the west; yet within the region dominated by large farms lies the fenland with its much smaller farms. Differences in landownership are also often a prominent feature of the agricultural landscape. Thus in the USA sharecroppers are still found in the south, while in the north-east occupierowners predominate. In Africa, there is a great difference between the systems of communal ownership found among the indigenous peoples, and (where they survive) the holdings of Europeans. Farm size and ownership must be considered when comparing two areas; they also affect other variables, influencing the type of crop chosen, the intensity with which it is grown and the efficiency of production.
