Nitrogen fertilizer use in Congo
Congo: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 1,471 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Congo, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nitrogen fertilizer use in Congo is 1,471 tonnes, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 45.3% on the previous year and up 130.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Congo peaked at 4,600 tonnes in 1971 and was at its lowest, 9 tonnes, in 2005.
Congo ranks 154th of 202 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Congo, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 200 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 300 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 1963 | 500 tonnes | +66.7% |
| 1964 | 500 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 700 tonnes | +40.0% |
| 1966 | 749 tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1967 | 834 tonnes | +11.3% |
| 1968 | 1,000 tonnes | +19.9% |
| 1969 | 2,614 tonnes | +161.4% |
| 1970 | 3,141 tonnes | +20.2% |
| 1971 | 4,600 tonnes | +46.5% |
| 1972 | 3,600 tonnes | -21.7% |
| 1973 | 1,200 tonnes | -66.7% |
| 1974 | 200 tonnes | -83.3% |
| 1975 | 200 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 120 tonnes | -40.0% |
| 1979 | 90 tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1980 | 176 tonnes | +95.6% |
| 1981 | 154 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 1982 | 900 tonnes | +484.4% |
| 1983 | 800 tonnes | -11.1% |
| 1984 | 900 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1985 | 1,300 tonnes | +44.4% |
| 1987 | 100 tonnes | -92.3% |
| 1988 | 500 tonnes | +400.0% |
| 1989 | 207 tonnes | -58.6% |
| 1990 | 641 tonnes | +209.7% |
| 1991 | 1,300 tonnes | +102.8% |
| 1992 | 1,100 tonnes | -15.4% |
| 1993 | 1,000 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 1994 | 900 tonnes | -10.0% |
| 1995 | 1,000 tonnes | +11.1% |
| 1996 | 2,000 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1997 | 2,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2,648 tonnes | +32.4% |
| 2004 | 734 tonnes | -72.3% |
| 2005 | 9 tonnes | -98.8% |
| 2006 | 24 tonnes | +166.7% |
| 2007 | 64 tonnes | +166.7% |
| 2008 | 252 tonnes | +293.8% |
| 2009 | 913 tonnes | +262.3% |
| 2010 | 110 tonnes | -88.0% |
| 2011 | 282 tonnes | +156.4% |
| 2012 | 682 tonnes | +141.8% |
| 2013 | 637 tonnes | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 290 tonnes | -54.5% |
| 2015 | 637 tonnes | +119.7% |
| 2016 | 319 tonnes | -49.9% |
| 2017 | 333 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 503 tonnes | +51.1% |
| 2019 | 821 tonnes | +63.2% |
| 2020 | 3,086 tonnes | +275.9% |
| 2021 | 2,172 tonnes | -29.6% |
| 2022 | 2,689 tonnes | +23.8% |
| 2023 | 1,471 tonnes | -45.3% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 1,471 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47,552 tonnes, 3% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 1,471 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15,117 tonnes, 10% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Congo changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +484.4% | 154 tonnes | 900 tonnes |
| 1988 | +400.0% | 100 tonnes | 500 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 821.89 tonnes | 200 tonnes | 2,614 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 1,644 tonnes | 90 tonnes | 4,600 tonnes | 8 |
| 1980s | 559.67 tonnes | 100 tonnes | 1,300 tonnes | 9 |
| 1990s | 1,394 tonnes | 641 tonnes | 2,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 830.5 tonnes | 9 tonnes | 2,648 tonnes | 8 |
| 2010s | 461.4 tonnes | 110 tonnes | 821 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,354 tonnes | 1,471 tonnes | 3,086 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Congo
- 151 Lesotho 2,152 tonnes compare
- 152 Mauritania 1,918 tonnes compare
- 153 Qatar 1,557 tonnes compare
- 155 Montenegro 1,317 tonnes compare
- 156 Puerto Rico 1,296 tonnes compare
- 157 Eritrea 1,292 tonnes compare
More agriculture & rural data for Congo
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1011 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 254.21 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3588 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 10.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 10.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.4% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Congo?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Congo was 1,471 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 Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 4,600 tonnes in 1971.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 9 tonnes in 2005.
- How does Congo rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Congo ranks 154th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 130.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Congo 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 — 58 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.