Based on a comparison of 164 countries in 2014, China ranked the highest in sheep livestock with 179,422 '000 followed by India and Australia. On the other end of the scale was Hong Kong with 0.019 '000, Jamaica with 1.48 '000 and Costa Rica with 2.80 '000.
Total sheep livestock reached 1,147,375 '000 in 2014 in the World according to Faostat. This is 2.22 % less than in the previous year and 6.89 % more than 10 years ago.
Historically, total sheep livestock reached an all time high of 1,207,952 '000 in 1990 and an all time low of 994,269 '000 in 1961. The average annual growth amounted to 0.271 % since 1961.
The top ranked country, China, accounted for 15.6 % of sheep livestock in the world. The top 3 countries hold a 28.4 % share while the ten largest countries some 48.3 % in 2014.
Data for more countries are available at Sheep Livestock (Total) indicator page.
| Sheep Livestock (Total) | Unit | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
| Algeria | '000 | 19,946 | 21,405 | 22,869 | 23,989 | 25,194 | ||||||||||||||||
| Australia | '000 | 79,938 | 72,740 | 68,085 | 73,099 | 74,722 | ||||||||||||||||
| China | '000 | 169,836 | 169,987 | 176,900 | 178,100 | 183,265 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ethiopia | '000 | 26,117 | 25,980 | 25,509 | 24,221 | 25,489 | ||||||||||||||||
| India | '000 | 72,360 | 73,172 | 73,991 | 74,500 | 75,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Iran | '000 | 49,976 | 50,000 | 49,500 | 50,000 | 50,215 | ||||||||||||||||
| Kenya | '000 | 17,136 | 17,130 | 17,562 | 17,822 | 18,171 | ||||||||||||||||
| Morocco | '000 | 17,078 | 17,006 | 18,023 | 18,737 | 19,006 | ||||||||||||||||
| New Zealand | '000 | 34,088 | 32,384 | 32,563 | 31,132 | 31,263 | ||||||||||||||||
| Nigeria | '000 | 33,874 | 34,687 | 37,423 | 38,000 | 38,500 | ||||||||||||||||
| Pakistan | '000 | 27,111 | 27,432 | 27,757 | 28,086 | 28,400 | ||||||||||||||||
| Russia | '000 | 19,290 | 19,602 | 19,850 | 19,761 | 20,767 | ||||||||||||||||
| South Africa | '000 | 25,094 | 24,989 | 24,501 | 24,303 | 24,391 | ||||||||||||||||
| Turkey | '000 | 25,462 | 23,975 | 21,795 | 23,090 | 25,032 | ||||||||||||||||
| United Kingdom | '000 | 33,131 | 31,445 | 31,084 | 31,634 | 32,215 |
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