Nitrogen fertilizer use in Mauritania
Mauritania: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 1,918 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Mauritania, 1973–2023
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 Mauritania is 1,918 tonnes, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Mauritania peaked at 6,158 tonnes in 1992 and was at its lowest, 174 tonnes, in 1973.
That places Mauritania 152nd out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 174 tonnes | — |
| 1974 | 358 tonnes | +105.7% |
| 1975 | 1,100 tonnes | +207.3% |
| 1976 | 500 tonnes | -54.5% |
| 1977 | 1,900 tonnes | +280.0% |
| 1978 | 1,900 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1,200 tonnes | -36.8% |
| 1980 | 400 tonnes | -66.7% |
| 1983 | 440 tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1984 | 440 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1,910 tonnes | +334.1% |
| 1986 | 900 tonnes | -52.9% |
| 1987 | 900 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2,000 tonnes | +122.2% |
| 1989 | 1,700 tonnes | -15.0% |
| 1990 | 3,500 tonnes | +105.9% |
| 1991 | 4,500 tonnes | +28.6% |
| 1992 | 6,158 tonnes | +36.8% |
| 1993 | 3,983 tonnes | -35.3% |
| 1994 | 4,000 tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 4,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 5,000 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1997 | 1,522 tonnes | -69.6% |
| 1998 | 1,800 tonnes | +18.3% |
| 1999 | 2,400 tonnes | +33.3% |
| 2001 | 2,900 tonnes | +20.8% |
| 2002 | 1,269 tonnes | -56.2% |
| 2003 | 1,472 tonnes | +16.0% |
| 2004 | 1,306 tonnes | -11.3% |
| 2005 | 1,661 tonnes | +27.2% |
| 2006 | 1,766 tonnes | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 902 tonnes | -48.9% |
| 2008 | 1,251 tonnes | +38.7% |
| 2009 | 1,242 tonnes | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 2,240 tonnes | +80.4% |
| 2011 | 1,385 tonnes | -38.2% |
| 2012 | 1,923 tonnes | +38.8% |
| 2013 | 2,291 tonnes | +19.1% |
| 2014 | 2,249 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 1,904 tonnes | -15.3% |
| 2016 | 2,691 tonnes | +41.3% |
| 2017 | 3,312 tonnes | +23.1% |
| 2018 | 3,321 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 3,413 tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 3,864 tonnes | +13.2% |
| 2021 | 2,834 tonnes | -26.7% |
| 2022 | 1,918 tonnes | -32.3% |
| 2023 | 1,918 tonnes | +0.0% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 1,918 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47,552 tonnes, 4% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 1,918 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15,117 tonnes, 13% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Mauritania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +334.1% | 440 tonnes | 1,910 tonnes |
| 1977 | +280.0% | 500 tonnes | 1,900 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,019 tonnes | 174 tonnes | 1,900 tonnes | 7 |
| 1980s | 1,086 tonnes | 400 tonnes | 2,000 tonnes | 8 |
| 1990s | 3,686 tonnes | 1,522 tonnes | 6,158 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,530 tonnes | 902 tonnes | 2,900 tonnes | 9 |
| 2010s | 2,473 tonnes | 1,385 tonnes | 3,413 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,634 tonnes | 1,918 tonnes | 3,864 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More agriculture & rural data for Mauritania
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1995 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.46 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5156 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3851 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 20.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 20.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Mauritania?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Mauritania was 1,918 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 6,158 tonnes in 1992.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 174 tonnes in 1973.
- How does Mauritania rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Mauritania ranks 152nd out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mauritania 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 — 48 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.