Nitrogen fertilizer use in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 35,723 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Afghanistan, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, nitrogen fertilizer use in Afghanistan stood at 35,723 tonnes.
That represents a change of up 37.2% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Afghanistan peaked at 140,776 tonnes in 2017 and was at its lowest, 1,000 tonnes, in 1961.
Afghanistan ranks 102nd of 201 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4,889 tonnes | 1,000 tonnes | 15,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 25,275 tonnes | 14,800 tonnes | 37,014 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 45,158 tonnes | 28,740 tonnes | 53,182 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 23,350 tonnes | 5,000 tonnes | 44,100 tonnes | 8 |
| 2000s | 17,656 tonnes | 5,000 tonnes | 24,524 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 67,201 tonnes | 12,929 tonnes | 140,776 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 34,561 tonnes | 26,036 tonnes | 43,142 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More agriculture & rural data for Afghanistan
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 6.10 billion current US$ (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 34.3% (2024)
- Rural population 32.47 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 2.4% (2025)
- Rural population 74.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2019)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 21.0% (2019)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 34.3% (2024)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 34.3% (2024)
- Land under cereal production 2.64 million hectares (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Afghanistan?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Afghanistan was 35,723 tonnes in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 140,776 tonnes in 2017.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,000 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Afghanistan rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Afghanistan ranks 102nd out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Nitrogen fertilizer use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measures total nitrogen inputs, including synthetic fertilizers alongside organic inputs from manure and crop fixation. Measured in tonnes of nitrogen.