Colombia vs South Africa: Nitrogen fertilizer use
Colombia
426,134 tonnes
in 2023
South Africa
420,638 tonnes
in 2023
Colombia rank
32nd
South Africa rank
33rd
Nitrogen fertilizer use over time
- Colombia
- South Africa
How they compare
Colombia currently reports 426,134 tonnes against 420,638 tonnes in South Africa, a difference of 5,496 tonnes.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 63 shared years of data; in 1961 it was South Africa ahead.
Colombia ranks 32nd and South Africa ranks 33rd of 202 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Colombia averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 6.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Colombia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 44,078 tonnes | 102,729 tonnes | 58,651 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1970s | 118,191 tonnes | 282,670 tonnes | 164,479 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1980s | 196,608 tonnes | 408,406 tonnes | 211,798 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1990s | 271,000 tonnes | 390,040 tonnes | 119,040 tonnes | South Africa |
| 2000s | 349,931 tonnes | 418,795 tonnes | 68,864 tonnes | South Africa |
| 2010s | 450,661 tonnes | 423,514 tonnes | 27,147 tonnes | Colombia |
| 2020s | 460,538 tonnes | 542,360 tonnes | 81,823 tonnes | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher nitrogen fertilizer use, Colombia or South Africa?
- Colombia, at 426,134 tonnes against 420,638 tonnes in South Africa as of 2023.
- What is the difference in nitrogen fertilizer use between Colombia and South Africa?
- 5,496 tonnes, with Colombia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Colombia and South Africa?
- 63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
- How do Colombia and South Africa rank globally for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Colombia ranks 32nd and South Africa ranks 33rd of 202 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) β with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Nitrogen fertilizer use. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Measures total nitrogen inputs, including synthetic fertilizers alongside organic inputs from manure and crop fixation. Measured in tonnes of nitrogen.