How Many Goats Are There In The World And In The USA?

Goats are hoofed mammals with a stocky build, and most have horns. Domestic goats, known scientifically as Capra hircus, are kept and bred as farm animals around the world.

The mountain goat of North America, Oreamnos americanus, is a different animal. It lives in mountainous regions of the Pacific Northwest and is not a true goat.

But you are here to find out how many goats are in the world, or in certain countries. I'll cover that below.

Goats belong to the family Bovidae, along with antelopes, cattle, and sheep. Ibex, markhor, and tur are wild goats in the genus Capra. The mountain goat is the only living species in the genus Oreamnos.

Where Did Goats Originate?

Goats were domesticated from wild goats in western Asia, in and around the Zagros Mountains of what is now western Iran, roughly 10,000 years ago. They were among the earliest domesticated livestock.

At several early sites, young male goats were slaughtered more often than females. That pattern suggests herders were managing flocks rather than hunting wild goats.

At Aşıklı Höyük in Turkey, researchers found salt deposits from goat and sheep urine in the soil, a sign that animals were penned there.

How Many Goats Are There In The World?

There are about 1.19 billion goats in the world, according to FAO data compiled by Our World in Data. That is more than double the roughly 465 million goats counted in 1980.

Goats are well suited to dry and rough land, and they are a key source of meat, milk, fiber, and income for small farmers.

Almost all of the world's goats live in Asia and Africa. In 2024, Asia had about 594 million goats and Africa about 534 million. Most goats are raised for meat, with goat milk, hair, and skins as other products.

What Country Has The Most Goats?

India and China are generally reported to have the largest goat herds in the world. Asia as a whole holds about half the world's goats.

Several African countries also keep very large herds. Exact rankings shift from year to year as national counts are updated in the FAO's FAOSTAT database.

Top 5 Goats Statistics

1. There are about 1.19 billion goats in the world, roughly one goat for every seven people.
2. Asia and Africa together hold more than 90 percent of all goats.
3. The world goat population has more than doubled since 1980.
4. The United States had about 2.47 million goats in 2024, a small share of the world total.
5. Goats are raised mainly for meat in most of the world, and also for milk, fiber, and skins.

FAQs

How many goats are in America?

There were about 2.47 million goats in the United States in 2024, according to FAO and USDA figures compiled by Our World in Data.

Which continents have the most goats?

Asia and Africa. Asia had about 594 million goats and Africa about 534 million in 2024, together more than 90 percent of the world total.

Has the world goat population grown?

Yes. The world had about 465 million goats in 1980 and about 1.19 billion in 2024, so the population has more than doubled.

Sources

• Livestock mammals over the long run, Our World in Data (FAO and USDA data)