Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 4.4 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Afghanistan, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 4.4 kilograms per hectare for nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in 2023.
That represents a change of up 36.2% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Afghanistan peaked at 17.8 kilograms per hectare in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.13 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
That places Afghanistan 161st out of 201 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 per hectare of cropland in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.13 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 0.13 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.13 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.13 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.13 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.13 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.13 kilograms per hectare | +769.2% |
| 1968 | 1.75 kilograms per hectare | +54.9% |
| 1969 | 1.88 kilograms per hectare | +7.4% |
| 1970 | 2 kilograms per hectare | +6.4% |
| 1971 | 1.84 kilograms per hectare | -8.0% |
| 1972 | 1.99 kilograms per hectare | +8.2% |
| 1973 | 2.2 kilograms per hectare | +10.6% |
| 1974 | 3.01 kilograms per hectare | +36.8% |
| 1975 | 3.44 kilograms per hectare | +14.3% |
| 1976 | 3.81 kilograms per hectare | +10.8% |
| 1977 | 4.6 kilograms per hectare | +20.7% |
| 1978 | 4.41 kilograms per hectare | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 4.13 kilograms per hectare | -6.3% |
| 1980 | 4.7 kilograms per hectare | +13.8% |
| 1981 | 3.57 kilograms per hectare | -24.0% |
| 1982 | 4.82 kilograms per hectare | +35.0% |
| 1983 | 4.57 kilograms per hectare | -5.2% |
| 1984 | 6.56 kilograms per hectare | +43.5% |
| 1985 | 6.6 kilograms per hectare | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 6.3 kilograms per hectare | -4.5% |
| 1987 | 6.56 kilograms per hectare | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 6.2 kilograms per hectare | -5.5% |
| 1989 | 6.22 kilograms per hectare | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 5.49 kilograms per hectare | -11.7% |
| 1991 | 5.33 kilograms per hectare | -2.9% |
| 1992 | 4.84 kilograms per hectare | -9.2% |
| 1993 | 5.04 kilograms per hectare | +4.1% |
| 1996 | 0.64 kilograms per hectare | -87.3% |
| 1997 | 0.64 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.76 kilograms per hectare | +18.8% |
| 1999 | 0.64 kilograms per hectare | -15.8% |
| 2000 | 0.64 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.36 kilograms per hectare | +268.7% |
| 2002 | 3.15 kilograms per hectare | +33.5% |
| 2003 | 2.59 kilograms per hectare | -17.8% |
| 2004 | 2.82 kilograms per hectare | +8.9% |
| 2005 | 2.59 kilograms per hectare | -8.2% |
| 2006 | 2.59 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2.07 kilograms per hectare | -20.1% |
| 2008 | 1.82 kilograms per hectare | -12.1% |
| 2009 | 1.79 kilograms per hectare | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 1.63 kilograms per hectare | -8.9% |
| 2011 | 2.9 kilograms per hectare | +77.9% |
| 2012 | 2.16 kilograms per hectare | -25.5% |
| 2013 | 4.41 kilograms per hectare | +104.2% |
| 2014 | 9.34 kilograms per hectare | +111.8% |
| 2015 | 11.7 kilograms per hectare | +25.3% |
| 2016 | 12.22 kilograms per hectare | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 17.8 kilograms per hectare | +45.7% |
| 2018 | 15.06 kilograms per hectare | -15.4% |
| 2019 | 7.45 kilograms per hectare | -50.5% |
| 2020 | 5.36 kilograms per hectare | -28.1% |
| 2021 | 4.14 kilograms per hectare | -22.8% |
| 2022 | 3.23 kilograms per hectare | -22.0% |
| 2023 | 4.4 kilograms per hectare | +36.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.6156 kilograms per hectare | 0.13 kilograms per hectare | 1.88 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.14 kilograms per hectare | 1.84 kilograms per hectare | 4.6 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.61 kilograms per hectare | 3.57 kilograms per hectare | 6.6 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.92 kilograms per hectare | 0.64 kilograms per hectare | 5.49 kilograms per hectare | 8 |
| 2000s | 2.24 kilograms per hectare | 0.64 kilograms per hectare | 3.15 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.47 kilograms per hectare | 1.63 kilograms per hectare | 17.8 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.28 kilograms per hectare | 3.23 kilograms per hectare | 5.36 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 158 Cook Islands 5.26 kilograms per hectare compare
- 159 Cameroon 5.09 kilograms per hectare compare
- 160 Yemen 4.55 kilograms per hectare compare
- 162 Guinea-Bissau 4.17 kilograms per hectare compare
- 162 Liberia 4.17 kilograms per hectare compare
- 162 Mauritania 4.17 kilograms per hectare compare
More agriculture & rural data for Afghanistan
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 2.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3429 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 142.96 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0018 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7406 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 34.3% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 34.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 21.0% (2019)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Afghanistan?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Afghanistan was 4.4 kilograms per hectare 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 per hectare of cropland recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 17.8 kilograms per hectare in 2017.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.13 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does Afghanistan rank for nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Afghanistan ranks 161st out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 per hectare of cropland. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Application of nitrogen fertilizer, measured in kilograms of total nutrient per hectare of cropland.