Nitrogen fertilizer use in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 58,920 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Nicaragua, 1961–2023
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 Nicaragua stood at 58,920 tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 15.5% on the previous year and up 62.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Nicaragua peaked at 77,642 tonnes in 2017 and was at its lowest, 3,169 tonnes, in 1962.
That places Nicaragua 92nd 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 Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3,357 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 3,169 tonnes | -5.6% |
| 1963 | 9,744 tonnes | +207.5% |
| 1964 | 10,000 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 15,014 tonnes | +50.1% |
| 1966 | 12,656 tonnes | -15.7% |
| 1967 | 15,911 tonnes | +25.7% |
| 1968 | 16,100 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 17,000 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1970 | 16,295 tonnes | -4.1% |
| 1971 | 17,312 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1972 | 17,500 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 35,000 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1974 | 22,000 tonnes | -37.1% |
| 1975 | 16,500 tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1976 | 22,942 tonnes | +39.0% |
| 1977 | 36,000 tonnes | +56.9% |
| 1978 | 35,000 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 17,800 tonnes | -49.1% |
| 1980 | 30,000 tonnes | +68.5% |
| 1981 | 39,000 tonnes | +30.0% |
| 1982 | 30,400 tonnes | -22.1% |
| 1983 | 51,402 tonnes | +69.1% |
| 1984 | 38,027 tonnes | -26.0% |
| 1985 | 44,935 tonnes | +18.2% |
| 1986 | 55,106 tonnes | +22.6% |
| 1987 | 38,500 tonnes | -30.1% |
| 1988 | 58,600 tonnes | +52.2% |
| 1989 | 21,918 tonnes | -62.6% |
| 1990 | 31,798 tonnes | +45.1% |
| 1991 | 26,232 tonnes | -17.5% |
| 1992 | 26,000 tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 21,000 tonnes | -19.2% |
| 1994 | 10,800 tonnes | -48.6% |
| 1995 | 25,000 tonnes | +131.5% |
| 1996 | 25,904 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 19,973 tonnes | -22.9% |
| 1998 | 21,900 tonnes | +9.6% |
| 1999 | 20,239 tonnes | -7.6% |
| 2000 | 14,200 tonnes | -29.8% |
| 2001 | 11,968 tonnes | -15.7% |
| 2002 | 35,236 tonnes | +194.4% |
| 2003 | 36,667 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 33,379 tonnes | -9.0% |
| 2005 | 35,608 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 42,671 tonnes | +19.8% |
| 2007 | 41,872 tonnes | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 34,115 tonnes | -18.5% |
| 2009 | 47,285 tonnes | +38.6% |
| 2010 | 39,863 tonnes | -15.7% |
| 2011 | 54,979 tonnes | +37.9% |
| 2012 | 65,379 tonnes | +18.9% |
| 2013 | 36,289 tonnes | -44.5% |
| 2014 | 50,567 tonnes | +39.3% |
| 2015 | 55,880 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 2016 | 59,453 tonnes | +6.4% |
| 2017 | 77,642 tonnes | +30.6% |
| 2018 | 48,310 tonnes | -37.8% |
| 2019 | 53,971 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 2020 | 67,153 tonnes | +24.4% |
| 2021 | 62,169 tonnes | -7.4% |
| 2022 | 50,998 tonnes | -18.0% |
| 2023 | 58,920 tonnes | +15.5% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 58,920 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47,552 tonnes, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 58,920 tonnes is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 19,640 tonnes, 3.0× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Nicaragua 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | +207.5% | 3,169 tonnes | 9,744 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11,439 tonnes | 3,169 tonnes | 17,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 23,635 tonnes | 16,295 tonnes | 36,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 40,789 tonnes | 21,918 tonnes | 58,600 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 22,885 tonnes | 10,800 tonnes | 31,798 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 33,300 tonnes | 11,968 tonnes | 47,285 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 54,233 tonnes | 36,289 tonnes | 77,642 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 59,810 tonnes | 50,998 tonnes | 67,153 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More agriculture & rural data for Nicaragua
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 12.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1448 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 459.4 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.8714 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4056 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 14.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 14.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Nicaragua?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Nicaragua was 58,920 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 Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 77,642 tonnes in 2017.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,169 tonnes in 1962.
- How does Nicaragua rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Nicaragua ranks 92nd out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua 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.