Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in South Korea
South Korea: Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land was 262.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
262.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land
Change on year
down 19.4%
World rank
23rd
of 199 countries
All-time high
576.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 1997
All-time low
155.49 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare of arable land.
Analysis
In 2023, fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in South Korea stood at 262.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land.
That represents a change of down 19.4% on the previous year and down 23.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in South Korea peaked at 576.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 1997 and was at its lowest, 155.49 kilograms per hectare of arable land, in 1961.
That places South Korea 23rd out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in South Korea, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare of arable land | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 155.49 kilograms per hectare of arable land | — |
| 1962 | 157.66 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 172.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.1% |
| 1964 | 172.5 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 155.56 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -9.8% |
| 1966 | 193.54 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +24.4% |
| 1967 | 221.53 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +14.5% |
| 1968 | 220.08 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 247.95 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +12.7% |
| 1970 | 261.45 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.4% |
| 1971 | 280.32 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +7.2% |
| 1972 | 307.84 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.8% |
| 1973 | 361.38 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +17.4% |
| 1974 | 408.86 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +13.1% |
| 1975 | 419.94 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 312.26 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -25.6% |
| 1977 | 356.13 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +14.0% |
| 1978 | 418.9 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +17.6% |
| 1979 | 411.38 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 389.83 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.2% |
| 1981 | 374.82 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 299.71 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -20.0% |
| 1983 | 353.15 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +17.8% |
| 1984 | 385.77 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.2% |
| 1985 | 416.53 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +8.0% |
| 1986 | 430.84 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 450.62 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 461.24 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 494.46 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +7.2% |
| 1990 | 490.38 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 481.42 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 507.75 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.5% |
| 1993 | 519.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 520.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 549.09 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 520.86 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.1% |
| 1997 | 576.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +10.6% |
| 1998 | 507.61 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -11.9% |
| 1999 | 483.27 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -4.8% |
| 2000 | 455.96 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.7% |
| 2001 | 424.28 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -6.9% |
| 2002 | 417.97 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 427.05 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 453.2 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +6.1% |
| 2005 | 478.15 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 333.74 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -30.2% |
| 2007 | 406.25 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +21.7% |
| 2008 | 304.48 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -25.1% |
| 2009 | 338.61 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +11.2% |
| 2010 | 330.28 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 337.32 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 351.83 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 344.7 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 345.92 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 337.81 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 351.14 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 353.42 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 367.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 366.53 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 304.81 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -16.8% |
| 2021 | 281.48 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -7.7% |
| 2022 | 325.43 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +15.6% |
| 2023 | 262.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -19.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 188.49 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 155.49 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 247.95 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 9 |
| 1970s | 353.85 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 261.45 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 419.94 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1980s | 405.7 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 299.71 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 494.46 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1990s | 515.61 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 481.42 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 576.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2000s | 403.97 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 304.48 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 478.15 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2010s | 348.63 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 330.28 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 367.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2020s | 293.51 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 262.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 325.43 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 20 Oman 301.46 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 21 Thailand 287.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 22 Suriname 285.64 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 24 Montenegro 251.38 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 25 Chile 249.52 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 26 New Caledonia 248.91 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Korea
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.2516 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0146 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 530.46 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1591 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1883 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in South Korea?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in South Korea was 262.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertilizer use per hectare of arable land recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 576.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 1997.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of arable land recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 155.49 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 1961.
- How does South Korea rank for fertilizer use per hectare of arable land?
- South Korea ranks 23rd out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of arable land rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Animal and plant manures are not included. Application rates are measured in kilograms per hectare.