Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States of America
United States of America: Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 59.08 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
59.08 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
70th
of 201 countries
All-time high
62.14 kilograms per hectare
in 2012
All-time low
12.96 kilograms per hectare
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States of America, 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
The most recent figure for nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States of America is 59.08 kilograms per hectare, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States of America peaked at 62.14 kilograms per hectare in 2012 and was at its lowest, 12.96 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
United States of America ranks 70th of 201 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States of America, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 12.96 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 15.18 kilograms per hectare | +17.1% |
| 1963 | 16.85 kilograms per hectare | +11.0% |
| 1964 | 18.34 kilograms per hectare | +8.8% |
| 1965 | 20.69 kilograms per hectare | +12.8% |
| 1966 | 23.69 kilograms per hectare | +14.5% |
| 1967 | 26.91 kilograms per hectare | +13.6% |
| 1968 | 27.4 kilograms per hectare | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 27.71 kilograms per hectare | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 30.14 kilograms per hectare | +8.8% |
| 1971 | 30.8 kilograms per hectare | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 31.46 kilograms per hectare | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 34.11 kilograms per hectare | +8.4% |
| 1974 | 33.87 kilograms per hectare | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 37.84 kilograms per hectare | +11.7% |
| 1976 | 40.76 kilograms per hectare | +7.7% |
| 1977 | 39.25 kilograms per hectare | -3.7% |
| 1978 | 39.84 kilograms per hectare | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 42.56 kilograms per hectare | +6.8% |
| 1980 | 44.75 kilograms per hectare | +5.1% |
| 1981 | 43 kilograms per hectare | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 37.24 kilograms per hectare | -13.4% |
| 1983 | 39.93 kilograms per hectare | +7.2% |
| 1984 | 43.44 kilograms per hectare | +8.8% |
| 1985 | 41.21 kilograms per hectare | -5.1% |
| 1986 | 39.31 kilograms per hectare | -4.6% |
| 1987 | 40.24 kilograms per hectare | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 40.84 kilograms per hectare | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 42.19 kilograms per hectare | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 43.35 kilograms per hectare | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 44.04 kilograms per hectare | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 44.48 kilograms per hectare | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 47.99 kilograms per hectare | +7.9% |
| 1994 | 47.39 kilograms per hectare | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 47.73 kilograms per hectare | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 49.38 kilograms per hectare | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 49.67 kilograms per hectare | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 50.22 kilograms per hectare | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 50.43 kilograms per hectare | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 48.09 kilograms per hectare | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 48.3 kilograms per hectare | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 49.95 kilograms per hectare | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 54.51 kilograms per hectare | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 52.29 kilograms per hectare | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 51.73 kilograms per hectare | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 57.43 kilograms per hectare | +11.0% |
| 2007 | 55.43 kilograms per hectare | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 50.99 kilograms per hectare | -8.0% |
| 2009 | 54.88 kilograms per hectare | +7.6% |
| 2010 | 57.97 kilograms per hectare | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 61.52 kilograms per hectare | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 62.14 kilograms per hectare | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 60.97 kilograms per hectare | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 59.46 kilograms per hectare | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 59.39 kilograms per hectare | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 58.26 kilograms per hectare | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 57.75 kilograms per hectare | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 59.72 kilograms per hectare | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 59.49 kilograms per hectare | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 60.76 kilograms per hectare | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 60.17 kilograms per hectare | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 59.08 kilograms per hectare | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 59.08 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21.08 kilograms per hectare | 12.96 kilograms per hectare | 27.71 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 36.06 kilograms per hectare | 30.14 kilograms per hectare | 42.56 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 41.21 kilograms per hectare | 37.24 kilograms per hectare | 44.75 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.47 kilograms per hectare | 43.35 kilograms per hectare | 50.43 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.36 kilograms per hectare | 48.09 kilograms per hectare | 57.43 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.67 kilograms per hectare | 57.75 kilograms per hectare | 62.14 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.77 kilograms per hectare | 59.08 kilograms per hectare | 60.76 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More agriculture & rural data for United States of America
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.96 % change on previous year (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0094 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 673.66 current US$ per person (2021)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1831 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1981 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.9% (2021)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.9% (2021)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States of America?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in United States of America was 59.08 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 United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 62.14 kilograms per hectare in 2012.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.96 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does United States of America rank for nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- United States of America ranks 70th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States of America 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.