Arable describes land that can be plowed and used to grow crops. When farmers talk about arable land, they mean soil that's good for planting wheat, corn, vegetables, or other food plants. Not all land is arable: rocky mountainsides, frozen tundra, and sandy deserts won't support most crops, but flat plains with rich soil and adequate rainfall are perfect for farming.

Throughout history, civilizations have risen in places with plenty of arable land, like the river valleys of Egypt, China, and Mesopotamia, where farmers could grow enough food to support large populations. Today, only about 11% of Earth's land surface is arable, which makes protecting good farmland important for feeding the world's population.