Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 161.41 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
161.41 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
up 25.3%
World rank
9th
of 201 countries
All-time high
212.24 kilograms per hectare
in 1998
All-time low
12.97 kilograms per hectare
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Costa Rica, 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
Costa Rica recorded 161.41 kilograms per hectare for nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in 2023.
That represents a change of up 25.3% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Costa Rica peaked at 212.24 kilograms per hectare in 1998 and was at its lowest, 12.97 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
That places Costa Rica 9th out of 201 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 12.97 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 18.21 kilograms per hectare | +40.4% |
| 1963 | 43.3 kilograms per hectare | +137.8% |
| 1964 | 49.48 kilograms per hectare | +14.3% |
| 1965 | 20.62 kilograms per hectare | -58.3% |
| 1966 | 34.43 kilograms per hectare | +67.0% |
| 1967 | 32.3 kilograms per hectare | -6.2% |
| 1968 | 59.67 kilograms per hectare | +84.7% |
| 1969 | 81.59 kilograms per hectare | +36.7% |
| 1970 | 75.79 kilograms per hectare | -7.1% |
| 1971 | 53.92 kilograms per hectare | -28.9% |
| 1972 | 52.11 kilograms per hectare | -3.4% |
| 1973 | 69.39 kilograms per hectare | +33.2% |
| 1974 | 69.18 kilograms per hectare | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 63.21 kilograms per hectare | -8.6% |
| 1976 | 57.55 kilograms per hectare | -9.0% |
| 1977 | 81.58 kilograms per hectare | +41.8% |
| 1978 | 81.76 kilograms per hectare | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 78.33 kilograms per hectare | -4.2% |
| 1980 | 80.04 kilograms per hectare | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 88.8 kilograms per hectare | +10.9% |
| 1982 | 95.7 kilograms per hectare | +7.8% |
| 1983 | 104.85 kilograms per hectare | +9.6% |
| 1984 | 97.68 kilograms per hectare | -6.8% |
| 1985 | 93.69 kilograms per hectare | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 98.86 kilograms per hectare | +5.5% |
| 1987 | 104.56 kilograms per hectare | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 112.75 kilograms per hectare | +7.8% |
| 1989 | 123.53 kilograms per hectare | +9.6% |
| 1990 | 109.02 kilograms per hectare | -11.7% |
| 1991 | 121.17 kilograms per hectare | +11.1% |
| 1992 | 127.45 kilograms per hectare | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 120 kilograms per hectare | -5.8% |
| 1994 | 134.62 kilograms per hectare | +12.2% |
| 1995 | 137.25 kilograms per hectare | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 179.8 kilograms per hectare | +31.0% |
| 1997 | 204.08 kilograms per hectare | +13.5% |
| 1998 | 212.24 kilograms per hectare | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 160 kilograms per hectare | -24.6% |
| 2000 | 138.78 kilograms per hectare | -13.3% |
| 2001 | 108.62 kilograms per hectare | -21.7% |
| 2002 | 112.08 kilograms per hectare | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 154.8 kilograms per hectare | +38.1% |
| 2004 | 126.15 kilograms per hectare | -18.5% |
| 2005 | 138.82 kilograms per hectare | +10.0% |
| 2006 | 141.65 kilograms per hectare | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 148.31 kilograms per hectare | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 163.08 kilograms per hectare | +10.0% |
| 2009 | 85.61 kilograms per hectare | -47.5% |
| 2010 | 113.34 kilograms per hectare | +32.4% |
| 2011 | 172.96 kilograms per hectare | +52.6% |
| 2012 | 160.64 kilograms per hectare | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 163.3 kilograms per hectare | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 141.42 kilograms per hectare | -13.4% |
| 2015 | 157.68 kilograms per hectare | +11.5% |
| 2016 | 185.33 kilograms per hectare | +17.5% |
| 2017 | 172 kilograms per hectare | -7.2% |
| 2018 | 180.46 kilograms per hectare | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 173.14 kilograms per hectare | -4.1% |
| 2020 | 174.01 kilograms per hectare | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 149.51 kilograms per hectare | -14.1% |
| 2022 | 128.8 kilograms per hectare | -13.9% |
| 2023 | 161.41 kilograms per hectare | +25.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 39.17 kilograms per hectare | 12.97 kilograms per hectare | 81.59 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 68.28 kilograms per hectare | 52.11 kilograms per hectare | 81.76 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 100.05 kilograms per hectare | 80.04 kilograms per hectare | 123.53 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 150.56 kilograms per hectare | 109.02 kilograms per hectare | 212.24 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 131.79 kilograms per hectare | 85.61 kilograms per hectare | 163.08 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 162.03 kilograms per hectare | 113.34 kilograms per hectare | 185.33 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 153.43 kilograms per hectare | 128.8 kilograms per hectare | 174.01 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 6 Hong Kong, China 181.96 kilograms per hectare compare
- 7 Kuwait 173.21 kilograms per hectare compare
- 8 Bangladesh 170.35 kilograms per hectare compare
- 10 Taiwan, China 159.63 kilograms per hectare compare
- 11 Viet Nam 151.49 kilograms per hectare compare
- 12 Ireland 146.33 kilograms per hectare compare
More agriculture & rural data for Costa Rica
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0337 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 672.15 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2027 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 3.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 3.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Costa Rica?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Costa Rica was 161.41 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 212.24 kilograms per hectare in 1998.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.97 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does Costa Rica rank for nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Costa Rica ranks 9th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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.