Nitrogen fertilizer use in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 1.50 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.50 million tonnes
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
15th
of 202 countries
All-time high
1.53 million tonnes
in 2021
All-time low
20,000 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Bangladesh, 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 Bangladesh stood at 1.50 million tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 34.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Bangladesh peaked at 1.53 million tonnes in 2021 and was at its lowest, 20,000 tonnes, in 1961.
That places Bangladesh 15th out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 20,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 24,000 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1963 | 36,000 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 1964 | 34,000 tonnes | -5.6% |
| 1965 | 42,900 tonnes | +26.2% |
| 1966 | 56,300 tonnes | +31.2% |
| 1967 | 70,900 tonnes | +25.9% |
| 1968 | 76,100 tonnes | +7.3% |
| 1969 | 90,400 tonnes | +18.8% |
| 1970 | 97,700 tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1971 | 78,100 tonnes | -20.1% |
| 1972 | 129,291 tonnes | +65.5% |
| 1973 | 126,953 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 82,811 tonnes | -34.8% |
| 1975 | 146,618 tonnes | +77.1% |
| 1976 | 167,750 tonnes | +14.4% |
| 1977 | 225,191 tonnes | +34.2% |
| 1978 | 227,785 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 260,215 tonnes | +14.2% |
| 1980 | 267,908 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 251,628 tonnes | -6.1% |
| 1982 | 304,879 tonnes | +21.2% |
| 1983 | 344,928 tonnes | +13.1% |
| 1984 | 384,651 tonnes | +11.5% |
| 1985 | 367,785 tonnes | -4.4% |
| 1986 | 422,956 tonnes | +15.0% |
| 1987 | 474,614 tonnes | +12.2% |
| 1988 | 528,608 tonnes | +11.4% |
| 1989 | 629,795 tonnes | +19.1% |
| 1990 | 609,163 tonnes | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 705,600 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 1992 | 713,300 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 733,562 tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 803,540 tonnes | +9.5% |
| 1995 | 943,000 tonnes | +17.4% |
| 1996 | 996,070 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 876,600 tonnes | -12.0% |
| 1998 | 882,500 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 1.01 million tonnes | +15.0% |
| 2000 | 995,852 tonnes | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 1.05 million tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 1.08 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 951,340 tonnes | -11.8% |
| 2004 | 954,039 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 993,327 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 1.10 million tonnes | +10.6% |
| 2007 | 1.05 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 1.29 million tonnes | +22.7% |
| 2009 | 1.16 million tonnes | -10.2% |
| 2010 | 1.17 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 1.27 million tonnes | +9.3% |
| 2012 | 1.13 million tonnes | -11.4% |
| 2013 | 1.11 million tonnes | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 1.23 million tonnes | +10.7% |
| 2015 | 1.32 million tonnes | +7.4% |
| 2016 | 1.17 million tonnes | -11.3% |
| 2017 | 1.24 million tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 1.33 million tonnes | +7.3% |
| 2019 | 1.33 million tonnes | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 1.36 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 1.53 million tonnes | +12.2% |
| 2022 | 1.51 million tonnes | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 1.50 million tonnes | -0.7% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 1.50 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47,552 tonnes, 31.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 1.50 million tonnes is above the median for South Asia, which is 99,610 tonnes, 15.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 50,067 tonnes | 20,000 tonnes | 90,400 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 154,241 tonnes | 78,100 tonnes | 260,215 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 397,775 tonnes | 251,628 tonnes | 629,795 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 827,804 tonnes | 609,163 tonnes | 1.01 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.06 million tonnes | 951,340 tonnes | 1.29 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.23 million tonnes | 1.11 million tonnes | 1.33 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.47 million tonnes | 1.36 million tonnes | 1.53 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More agriculture & rural data for Bangladesh
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 3.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1142 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 296.72 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6676 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 11.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 11.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2018)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 6.0% (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Bangladesh?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Bangladesh was 1.50 million 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 Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 1.53 million tonnes in 2021.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,000 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Bangladesh rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Bangladesh ranks 15th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bangladesh 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 — 63 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.