Nitrogen fertilizer use in Gambia
Gambia: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 5,494 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Gambia, 1964–2023
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 Gambia is 5,494 tonnes, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 59 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1,054.2% on the previous year and up 9,538.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Gambia peaked at 5,494 tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 8 tonnes, in 1964.
That places Gambia 141st out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Gambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 8 tonnes | — |
| 1965 | 15 tonnes | +87.5% |
| 1966 | 54 tonnes | +260.0% |
| 1967 | 50 tonnes | -7.4% |
| 1968 | 34 tonnes | -32.0% |
| 1969 | 94 tonnes | +176.5% |
| 1970 | 152 tonnes | +61.7% |
| 1971 | 300 tonnes | +97.4% |
| 1972 | 366 tonnes | +22.0% |
| 1973 | 302 tonnes | -17.5% |
| 1974 | 400 tonnes | +32.5% |
| 1975 | 165 tonnes | -58.8% |
| 1976 | 200 tonnes | +21.2% |
| 1977 | 494 tonnes | +147.0% |
| 1978 | 1,050 tonnes | +112.6% |
| 1979 | 1,467 tonnes | +39.7% |
| 1980 | 640 tonnes | -56.4% |
| 1981 | 319 tonnes | -50.2% |
| 1982 | 758 tonnes | +137.6% |
| 1983 | 1,100 tonnes | +45.1% |
| 1984 | 1,000 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 1985 | 3,000 tonnes | +200.0% |
| 1986 | 3,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 800 tonnes | -73.3% |
| 1988 | 310 tonnes | -61.3% |
| 1989 | 659 tonnes | +112.6% |
| 1990 | 200 tonnes | -69.7% |
| 1991 | 300 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 1992 | 200 tonnes | -33.3% |
| 1993 | 200 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 200 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 344 tonnes | +72.0% |
| 1996 | 205 tonnes | -40.4% |
| 1997 | 300 tonnes | +46.3% |
| 1998 | 2,300 tonnes | +666.7% |
| 1999 | 1,000 tonnes | -56.5% |
| 2000 | 600 tonnes | -40.0% |
| 2001 | 600 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1,739 tonnes | +189.8% |
| 2004 | 1,200 tonnes | -31.0% |
| 2005 | 1,671 tonnes | +39.2% |
| 2006 | 1,672 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 1,520 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 2008 | 835 tonnes | -45.1% |
| 2009 | 1,365 tonnes | +63.5% |
| 2010 | 1,785 tonnes | +30.8% |
| 2011 | 2,628 tonnes | +47.2% |
| 2012 | 453 tonnes | -82.8% |
| 2013 | 57 tonnes | -87.4% |
| 2014 | 25 tonnes | -56.1% |
| 2015 | 141 tonnes | +464.0% |
| 2016 | 129 tonnes | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 37 tonnes | -71.3% |
| 2018 | 2,006 tonnes | +5321.6% |
| 2019 | 670 tonnes | -66.6% |
| 2020 | 21 tonnes | -96.9% |
| 2021 | 476 tonnes | +2166.7% |
| 2022 | 476 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 5,494 tonnes | +1054.2% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 5,494 tonnes is below the median for low income countries, which is 14,884 tonnes, 37% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 5,494 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15,117 tonnes, 36% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Gambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +5321.6% | 37 tonnes | 2,006 tonnes |
| 2021 | +2166.7% | 21 tonnes | 476 tonnes |
| 2023 | +1054.2% | 476 tonnes | 5,494 tonnes |
| 1998 | +666.7% | 300 tonnes | 2,300 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 42.5 tonnes | 8 tonnes | 94 tonnes | 6 |
| 1970s | 489.6 tonnes | 152 tonnes | 1,467 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,159 tonnes | 310 tonnes | 3,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 524.9 tonnes | 200 tonnes | 2,300 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,245 tonnes | 600 tonnes | 1,739 tonnes | 9 |
| 2010s | 793.1 tonnes | 25 tonnes | 2,628 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,617 tonnes | 21 tonnes | 5,494 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
More agriculture & rural data for Gambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 25.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2385 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 219.17 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2766 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3501 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Gambia?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Gambia was 5,494 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 Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 5,494 tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8 tonnes in 1964.
- How does Gambia rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Gambia ranks 141st out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9,538.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Gambia 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 — 59 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.