Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ecuador
Ecuador: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 83,227 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ecuador, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Ecuador recorded 83,227 tonnes for nitrogen fertilizer use in 2023.
That represents a change of down 48.7% on the previous year and down 48.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Ecuador peaked at 226,367 tonnes in 2001 and was at its lowest, 4,617 tonnes, in 1961.
Ecuador ranks 78th of 202 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.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4,617 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 6,136 tonnes | +32.9% |
| 1963 | 7,787 tonnes | +26.9% |
| 1964 | 4,960 tonnes | -36.3% |
| 1965 | 4,894 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1966 | 6,689 tonnes | +36.7% |
| 1967 | 26,928 tonnes | +302.6% |
| 1968 | 36,522 tonnes | +35.6% |
| 1969 | 21,407 tonnes | -41.4% |
| 1970 | 18,011 tonnes | -15.9% |
| 1971 | 8,600 tonnes | -52.3% |
| 1972 | 20,000 tonnes | +132.6% |
| 1973 | 28,700 tonnes | +43.5% |
| 1974 | 22,138 tonnes | -22.9% |
| 1975 | 13,549 tonnes | -38.8% |
| 1976 | 49,500 tonnes | +265.3% |
| 1977 | 58,259 tonnes | +17.7% |
| 1978 | 40,367 tonnes | -30.7% |
| 1979 | 43,332 tonnes | +7.3% |
| 1980 | 40,700 tonnes | -6.1% |
| 1981 | 34,800 tonnes | -14.5% |
| 1982 | 33,200 tonnes | -4.6% |
| 1983 | 47,000 tonnes | +41.6% |
| 1984 | 43,000 tonnes | -8.5% |
| 1985 | 43,238 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 31,077 tonnes | -28.1% |
| 1987 | 27,748 tonnes | -10.7% |
| 1988 | 32,001 tonnes | +15.3% |
| 1989 | 45,803 tonnes | +43.1% |
| 1990 | 39,421 tonnes | -13.9% |
| 1991 | 44,700 tonnes | +13.4% |
| 1992 | 42,700 tonnes | -4.5% |
| 1993 | 49,000 tonnes | +14.8% |
| 1994 | 48,000 tonnes | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 56,000 tonnes | +16.7% |
| 1996 | 65,000 tonnes | +16.1% |
| 1997 | 90,600 tonnes | +39.4% |
| 1998 | 88,100 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 69,800 tonnes | -20.8% |
| 2000 | 71,600 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 226,367 tonnes | +216.2% |
| 2002 | 132,311 tonnes | -41.6% |
| 2003 | 119,857 tonnes | -9.4% |
| 2004 | 135,632 tonnes | +13.2% |
| 2005 | 116,291 tonnes | -14.3% |
| 2006 | 126,268 tonnes | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 118,168 tonnes | -6.4% |
| 2008 | 156,382 tonnes | +32.3% |
| 2009 | 151,261 tonnes | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 159,096 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 178,586 tonnes | +12.3% |
| 2012 | 172,934 tonnes | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 161,466 tonnes | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 173,444 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 2015 | 138,617 tonnes | -20.1% |
| 2016 | 196,436 tonnes | +41.7% |
| 2017 | 200,594 tonnes | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 219,923 tonnes | +9.6% |
| 2019 | 208,213 tonnes | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 208,213 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 208,213 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 162,291 tonnes | -22.1% |
| 2023 | 83,227 tonnes | -48.7% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 83,227 tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 54,228 tonnes, 1.5× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 83,227 tonnes is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 19,640 tonnes, 4.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ecuador 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +302.6% | 6,689 tonnes | 26,928 tonnes |
| 1976 | +265.3% | 13,549 tonnes | 49,500 tonnes |
| 2001 | +216.2% | 71,600 tonnes | 226,367 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13,327 tonnes | 4,617 tonnes | 36,522 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 30,246 tonnes | 8,600 tonnes | 58,259 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 37,857 tonnes | 27,748 tonnes | 47,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 59,332 tonnes | 39,421 tonnes | 90,600 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 135,414 tonnes | 71,600 tonnes | 226,367 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 180,931 tonnes | 138,617 tonnes | 219,923 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 165,486 tonnes | 83,227 tonnes | 208,213 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More agriculture & rural data for Ecuador
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.097 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 691.36 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4287 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3661 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 9.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 9.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 3.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Ecuador?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Ecuador was 83,227 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 Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 226,367 tonnes in 2001.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,617 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Ecuador rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Ecuador ranks 78th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ecuador 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.