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 150th out of 201 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.
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
- 147 Guinea-Bissau 2,690 tonnes compare
- 148 Sierra Leone 2,478 tonnes compare
- 149 Kuwait 2,425 tonnes compare
- 151 Mauritania 1,918 tonnes compare
- 152 Qatar 1,557 tonnes compare
- 153 Congo 1,471 tonnes compare
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 166.92 million current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 6.5% (2025)
- Rural population 1.31 million (2025)
- Rural population growth -0.7% (2025)
- Rural population 55.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Land under cereal production 177,933 hectares (2023)
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 150th out of 201 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.