Fertilizer consumption (% of fertilizer production) by country
Fertilizer consumption measures the quantity of plant nutrients and is calculated as production plus imports minus exports. Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Traditional nutrients--animal and plant manures--are not included. Because some...
What the numbers show
Fertilizer consumption (% of fertilizer production) is currently reported for 106 countries. The highest value is 23,434.6% in Costa Rica; the lowest is 0.1% in Bahrain.
The median across all reporting countries is 142.2%, and the mean is 1,254.2%.
Over the past decade 60 countries rose and 42 fell. The largest increase was in Iceland (up 11,726.9%), and the largest decrease in Bahrain (down 96.2%).
Fertilizer consumption: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Costa Rica | 23,434.6% | 2001 | up 7,832.3% | volatile |
| 2 | Iceland | 20,896.6% | 2001 | up 11,726.9% | volatile |
| 3 | Estonia | 20,163.3% | 2023 | up 40.1% | volatile |
| 4 | Peru | 11,382.0% | 2001 | up 3,359.2% | volatile |
| 5 | Burkina Faso | 8,857.2% | 2000 | down 51.5% | falling |
| 6 | France | 7,180.7% | 2023 | up 1,613.4% | volatile |
| 7 | Kenya | 5,550.0% | 1967 | up 200.0% | rising |
| 8 | Zambia | 3,487.9% | 2000 | up 521.4% | volatile |
| 9 | Ecuador | 2,436.2% | 1984 | up 257.7% | volatile |
| 10 | Côte d'Ivoire | 2,160.0% | 1993 | up 100.5% | volatile |
| 11 | Mozambique | 2,100.0% | 1983 | up 1,404.7% | volatile |
| 12 | Uruguay | 1,885.2% | 2019 | down 17.7% | volatile |
| 13 | Finland | 1,716.0% | 2023 | up 4,855.0% | volatile |
| 14 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 1,550.8% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 15 | Guatemala | 1,518.3% | 1992 | up 132.7% | volatile |
| 16 | Sri Lanka | 1,461.4% | 2023 | up 5.8% | falling |
| 17 | Mauritius | 1,030.8% | 2004 | up 443.4% | volatile |
| 18 | Brazil | 718.3% | 2023 | up 62.2% | volatile |
| 19 | Cuba | 684.6% | 2023 | up 2.0% | volatile |
| 20 | Bangladesh | 667.5% | 2023 | up 73.7% | volatile |
| 21 | Switzerland | 592.9% | 2000 | up 3.1% | rising |
| 22 | Romania | 544.2% | 2023 | up 717.5% | volatile |
| 23 | Albania | 530.0% | 1999 | up 418.6% | volatile |
| 24 | South Africa | 491.1% | 2023 | up 108.3% | volatile |
| 25 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 472.4% | 2019 | up 127.1% | volatile |
| 26 | Myanmar | 467.7% | 2021 | up 120.6% | volatile |
| 27 | Philippines | 459.2% | 2023 | down 29.1% | volatile |
| 28 | El Salvador | 453.9% | 1992 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 29 | Thailand | 423.3% | 2023 | down 83.9% | volatile |
| 30 | Colombia | 411.6% | 2022 | down 26.5% | volatile |
| 31 | Australia | 409.5% | 2023 | up 84.1% | rising |
| 32 | Mexico | 405.7% | 2023 | up 131.2% | volatile |
| 33 | North Macedonia | 399.0% | 2000 | up 299.0% | rising |
| 34 | Eswatini | 346.0% | 1983 | — | falling |
| 35 | Argentina | 345.4% | 2023 | up 65.0% | volatile |
| 36 | Denmark | 327.6% | 2004 | up 65.2% | falling |
| 37 | Afghanistan | 324.3% | 2023 | up 47.0% | volatile |
| 38 | Czechia | 311.6% | 2023 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 39 | Ireland | 287.4% | 2002 | up 32.1% | falling |
| 40 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 265.5% | 2022 | up 38.7% | rising |
| 41 | Sweden | 264.4% | 2007 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 42 | Ukraine | 262.8% | 2021 | up 495.4% | volatile |
| 43 | Malaysia | 256.4% | 2023 | down 11.3% | volatile |
| 44 | Zimbabwe | 253.3% | 2022 | down 29.6% | volatile |
| 45 | Libya | 252.7% | 2023 | up 788.7% | volatile |
| 46 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 238.4% | 2023 | down 43.3% | volatile |
| 47 | Serbia | 236.6% | 2023 | up 12.2% | falling |
| 48 | New Zealand | 235.3% | 2023 | up 11.2% | rising |
| 49 | Iraq | 228.5% | 2023 | up 60.6% | volatile |
| 50 | Croatia | 221.8% | 2023 | up 517.7% | volatile |
| 51 | Senegal | 208.6% | 2023 | down 72.5% | volatile |
| 52 | Türkiye | 181.3% | 2023 | up 2.0% | falling |
| 53 | Japan | 143.8% | 2023 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 54 | Portugal | 140.7% | 2023 | down 1.8% | rising |
| 55 | India | 139.4% | 2023 | down 6.8% | falling |
| 56 | Indonesia | 121.9% | 2023 | down 4.4% | volatile |
| 57 | Pakistan | 121.8% | 2023 | down 13.8% | falling |
| 58 | Viet Nam | 120.9% | 2023 | down 44.3% | volatile |
| 59 | Chile | 117.4% | 2023 | up 224.8% | volatile |
| 60 | Spain | 111.2% | 2023 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 61 | Uganda | 110.0% | 1977 | up 52.9% | volatile |
| 62 | United States of America | 100.8% | 2023 | down 20.7% | rising |
| 63 | China | 92.0% | 2023 | down 0.7% | falling |
| 64 | Poland | 89.5% | 2023 | up 16.2% | falling |
| 65 | Uzbekistan | 87.7% | 2023 | up 4.4% | falling |
| 66 | Italy | 86.2% | 2023 | down 55.4% | volatile |
| 67 | Bulgaria | 82.7% | 2023 | down 35.5% | falling |
| 68 | Tajikistan | 77.3% | 2008 | down 91.6% | volatile |
| 69 | Austria | 75.2% | 2001 | down 10.9% | falling |
| 70 | Syrian Arab Republic | 73.4% | 2014 | down 54.5% | volatile |
| 71 | Greece | 72.7% | 2023 | down 57.0% | volatile |
| 72 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 67.9% | 2023 | down 35.2% | volatile |
| 73 | Turkmenistan | 67.7% | 2023 | down 50.3% | falling |
| 74 | Cyprus | 64.8% | 1989 | down 80.5% | volatile |
| 75 | Hungary | 59.0% | 2023 | down 64.6% | falling |
| 76 | Slovakia | 58.7% | 2023 | up 31.1% | rising |
| 77 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 58.7% | 2023 | up 17.3% | volatile |
| 78 | Lebanon | 58.2% | 2023 | up 26.6% | volatile |
| 79 | Republic of Korea | 57.1% | 2023 | down 22.7% | volatile |
| 80 | Azerbaijan | 55.0% | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 81 | Lithuania | 51.0% | 2023 | up 116.4% | flat |
| 82 | Germany | 47.2% | 2023 | down 15.6% | falling |
| 83 | Kazakhstan | 45.5% | 2023 | down 12.6% | volatile |
| 84 | Egypt | 41.5% | 2023 | down 11.3% | volatile |
| 85 | Canada | 37.4% | 2023 | up 40.0% | falling |
| 86 | Tunisia | 32.7% | 2023 | up 141.2% | rising |
| 87 | Georgia | 28.9% | 2023 | up 52.9% | volatile |
| 88 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 21.4% | 2022 | — | volatile |
| 89 | Belgium | 21.0% | 2023 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 90 | Norway | 15.7% | 2023 | down 4.1% | falling |
| 91 | Netherlands | 14.6% | 2023 | up 11.4% | volatile |
| 92 | Algeria | 14.5% | 2023 | down 91.8% | volatile |
| 93 | Russian Federation | 13.5% | 2023 | up 33.6% | volatile |
| 94 | Belarus | 12.7% | 2023 | down 53.0% | falling |
| 95 | Nigeria | 12.5% | 2023 | down 95.6% | volatile |
| 96 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 7.1% | 2023 | down 64.9% | falling |
| 97 | Saudi Arabia | 7.1% | 2023 | down 13.4% | volatile |
| 98 | Morocco | 5.3% | 2023 | down 73.8% | volatile |
| 99 | Kuwait | 3.5% | 2018 | up 155.5% | volatile |
| 100 | Oman | 2.8% | 2023 | up 158.9% | volatile |
| 101 | Israel | 2.4% | 2023 | down 33.2% | volatile |
| 102 | Jordan | 2.2% | 2023 | up 11.1% | volatile |
| 103 | United Arab Emirates | 1.8% | 2023 | down 46.5% | volatile |
| 104 | Trinidad and Tobago | 1.0% | 2023 | down 18.4% | volatile |
| 105 | Qatar | 0.2% | 2023 | up 24.2% | volatile |
| 106 | Bahrain | 0.1% | 2022 | down 96.2% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Other small states 41,591.8%
- European Union 97.4%
- Low income 12,271.6%
- Euro area 87.5%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 6,941.2%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 1,716.7%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 636.1%
- Latin America & Caribbean 561.3%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 561.3%
- IDA only 392.8%
- Least developed countries 351.7%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 317.6%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 317.6%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 317.5%
- Pre-demographic dividend 208.7%
- IDA total 169.6%
- South Asia 151.6%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 151.6%
- Upper middle income 121.6%
- Low & middle income 118.2%
- Middle income 116.5%
- Early-demographic dividend 111.8%
- East Asia & Pacific 109.6%
- Lower middle income 107.3%
- IDA blend 107.1%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 105.1%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 105.1%
- Central Europe and the Baltics 103.3%
- IDA & IBRD total 99.9%
- IBRD only 95.6%
- World 90.7%
- Africa Western and Central 89.1%
- OECD members 87.8%
- Late-demographic dividend 85.0%
- Post-demographic dividend 76.5%
- North America 74.6%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 60.8%
- High income 54.0%
- Small states 48.2%
- Europe & Central Asia 47.1%
About this data
Fertilizer consumption measures the quantity of plant nutrients and is calculated as production plus imports minus exports. Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Traditional nutrients--animal and plant manures--are not included. Because some chemical compounds used for fertilizers have other industrial applications, the consumption data may overstate the quantity available for crops. Fertilizer consumption as a share of production shows the agriculture sector's vulnerability to import and energy price fluctuation. Most fertilizers that are commonly used in agriculture contain the three basic plant nutrients-nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Some fertilizers also contain certain micronutrients such as zinc and other metals that are necessary for plant growth. Materials that are applied to the land primarily to enhance soil characteristics (rather than as plant food) are commonly referred to as soil amendments.