Nitrogen fertilizer use in Lesotho
Lesotho: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 2,152 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Lesotho, 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 Lesotho is 2,152 tonnes, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.6% on the previous year and down 51.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Lesotho peaked at 4,910 tonnes in 2001 and was at its lowest, 10 tonnes, in 1961.
That places Lesotho 151st 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 Lesotho, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 10 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 25 tonnes | +150.0% |
| 1963 | 19 tonnes | -24.0% |
| 1964 | 30 tonnes | +57.9% |
| 1965 | 50 tonnes | +66.7% |
| 1966 | 50 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 100 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1968 | 16 tonnes | -84.0% |
| 1969 | 23 tonnes | +43.8% |
| 1970 | 25 tonnes | +8.7% |
| 1971 | 37 tonnes | +48.0% |
| 1972 | 35 tonnes | -5.4% |
| 1973 | 135 tonnes | +285.7% |
| 1974 | 136 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 300 tonnes | +120.6% |
| 1976 | 300 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 500 tonnes | +66.7% |
| 1978 | 400 tonnes | -20.0% |
| 1979 | 400 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 500 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1981 | 500 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 500 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 500 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 600 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1985 | 100 tonnes | -83.3% |
| 1986 | 100 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 400 tonnes | +300.0% |
| 1988 | 400 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 500 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1990 | 500 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 800 tonnes | +60.0% |
| 1992 | 700 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 1993 | 1,000 tonnes | +42.9% |
| 1994 | 1,300 tonnes | +30.0% |
| 1995 | 1,904 tonnes | +46.5% |
| 1996 | 2,082 tonnes | +9.3% |
| 1997 | 1,606 tonnes | -22.9% |
| 1998 | 1,800 tonnes | +12.1% |
| 1999 | 1,863 tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 3,420 tonnes | +83.6% |
| 2001 | 4,910 tonnes | +43.6% |
| 2002 | 3,254 tonnes | -33.7% |
| 2003 | 2,055 tonnes | -36.8% |
| 2004 | 523 tonnes | -74.5% |
| 2005 | 146 tonnes | -72.1% |
| 2006 | 834 tonnes | +471.2% |
| 2007 | 985 tonnes | +18.1% |
| 2008 | 340 tonnes | -65.5% |
| 2009 | 500 tonnes | +47.1% |
| 2010 | 253 tonnes | -49.4% |
| 2011 | 1,789 tonnes | +607.1% |
| 2012 | 649 tonnes | -63.7% |
| 2013 | 4,415 tonnes | +580.3% |
| 2014 | 4,637 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 1,498 tonnes | -67.7% |
| 2016 | 1,522 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 1,402 tonnes | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 3,037 tonnes | +116.6% |
| 2019 | 3,056 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 2,733 tonnes | -10.6% |
| 2021 | 3,002 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 2022 | 1,911 tonnes | -36.3% |
| 2023 | 2,152 tonnes | +12.6% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2,152 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47,552 tonnes, 5% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2,152 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15,117 tonnes, 14% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Lesotho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +607.1% | 253 tonnes | 1,789 tonnes |
| 2013 | +580.3% | 649 tonnes | 4,415 tonnes |
| 2006 | +471.2% | 146 tonnes | 834 tonnes |
| 1987 | +300.0% | 100 tonnes | 400 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 35.89 tonnes | 10 tonnes | 100 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 226.8 tonnes | 25 tonnes | 500 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 410 tonnes | 100 tonnes | 600 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,356 tonnes | 500 tonnes | 2,082 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,697 tonnes | 146 tonnes | 4,910 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,226 tonnes | 253 tonnes | 4,637 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,450 tonnes | 1,911 tonnes | 3,002 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 148 Guinea-Bissau 2,690 tonnes compare
- 149 Sierra Leone 2,478 tonnes compare
- 150 Kuwait 2,425 tonnes compare
- 152 Mauritania 1,918 tonnes compare
- 153 Qatar 1,557 tonnes compare
- 154 Congo 1,471 tonnes compare
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Lesotho?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Lesotho was 2,152 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 4,910 tonnes in 2001.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 10 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Lesotho rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Lesotho ranks 151st out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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.