Nitrogen fertilizer use in Namibia
Namibia: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 20,750 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Namibia, 1998–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, nitrogen fertilizer use in Namibia stood at 20,750 tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 77.4% on the previous year and up 168.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Namibia peaked at 30,494 tonnes in 2018 and was at its lowest, 100 tonnes, in 1998.
That places Namibia 114th 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 Namibia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 100 tonnes | — |
| 1999 | 100 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 100 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 100 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2,920 tonnes | +2820.0% |
| 2003 | 805 tonnes | -72.4% |
| 2004 | 1,973 tonnes | +145.1% |
| 2005 | 1,003 tonnes | -49.2% |
| 2006 | 1,892 tonnes | +88.6% |
| 2007 | 1,337 tonnes | -29.3% |
| 2008 | 210 tonnes | -84.3% |
| 2009 | 1,268 tonnes | +503.8% |
| 2010 | 2,849 tonnes | +124.7% |
| 2011 | 4,866 tonnes | +70.8% |
| 2012 | 10,503 tonnes | +115.8% |
| 2013 | 7,730 tonnes | -26.4% |
| 2014 | 3,874 tonnes | -49.9% |
| 2015 | 9,742 tonnes | +151.5% |
| 2016 | 19,648 tonnes | +101.7% |
| 2017 | 18,840 tonnes | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 30,494 tonnes | +61.9% |
| 2019 | 18,856 tonnes | -38.2% |
| 2020 | 2,728 tonnes | -85.5% |
| 2021 | 2,728 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 11,696 tonnes | +328.7% |
| 2023 | 20,750 tonnes | +77.4% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 20,750 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47,552 tonnes, 44% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 20,750 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15,117 tonnes, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Namibia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +2820.0% | 100 tonnes | 2,920 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 100 tonnes | 100 tonnes | 100 tonnes | 2 |
| 2000s | 1,161 tonnes | 100 tonnes | 2,920 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,740 tonnes | 2,849 tonnes | 30,494 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,476 tonnes | 2,728 tonnes | 20,750 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 111 Bosnia and Herzegovina 24,482 tonnes compare
- 112 Kyrgyzstan 23,077 tonnes compare
- 113 North Korea 21,697 tonnes compare
- 115 Bolivia 19,640 tonnes compare
- 116 Angola 18,128 tonnes compare
- 117 Botswana 17,547 tonnes compare
More agriculture & rural data for Namibia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0699 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 340.78 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4913 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 7.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 7.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Namibia?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Namibia was 20,750 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 Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 30,494 tonnes in 2018.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 100 tonnes in 1998.
- How does Namibia rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Namibia ranks 114th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 168.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia 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 — 26 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.