Nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled in China
China: Nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled was 24.55 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled in China, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
China recorded 24.55 million tonnes for nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled in China peaked at 30.98 million tonnes in 2014 and was at its lowest, 544,000 tonnes, in 1961.
China ranks 1st of 202 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 544,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 810,000 tonnes | +48.9% |
| 1963 | 974,000 tonnes | +20.2% |
| 1964 | 1.25 million tonnes | +28.3% |
| 1965 | 1.83 million tonnes | +46.6% |
| 1966 | 2.67 million tonnes | +45.8% |
| 1967 | 1.96 million tonnes | -26.7% |
| 1968 | 2.15 million tonnes | +9.6% |
| 1969 | 2.63 million tonnes | +22.8% |
| 1970 | 3.37 million tonnes | +27.9% |
| 1971 | 3.37 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 3.86 million tonnes | +14.5% |
| 1973 | 4.45 million tonnes | +15.3% |
| 1974 | 3.85 million tonnes | -13.5% |
| 1975 | 5.04 million tonnes | +30.9% |
| 1976 | 4.75 million tonnes | -5.6% |
| 1977 | 7.07 million tonnes | +48.7% |
| 1978 | 9.28 million tonnes | +31.2% |
| 1979 | 10.64 million tonnes | +14.7% |
| 1980 | 12.11 million tonnes | +13.8% |
| 1981 | 11.53 million tonnes | -4.8% |
| 1982 | 12.27 million tonnes | +6.5% |
| 1983 | 13.72 million tonnes | +11.8% |
| 1984 | 15.18 million tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1985 | 13.84 million tonnes | -8.8% |
| 1986 | 13.58 million tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 16.80 million tonnes | +23.8% |
| 1988 | 18.51 million tonnes | +10.2% |
| 1989 | 18.86 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 19.56 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 19.97 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 20.33 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 18.00 million tonnes | -11.4% |
| 1994 | 19.16 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1995 | 23.78 million tonnes | +24.1% |
| 1996 | 25.27 million tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1997 | 22.95 million tonnes | -9.2% |
| 1998 | 22.89 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 24.14 million tonnes | +5.5% |
| 2000 | 22.14 million tonnes | -8.3% |
| 2001 | 22.42 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 25.04 million tonnes | +11.7% |
| 2003 | 25.20 million tonnes | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 26.23 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 26.64 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 27.24 million tonnes | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 27.98 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 28.39 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 28.96 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 29.53 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 30.13 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 30.63 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 30.80 million tonnes | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 30.98 million tonnes | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 30.80 million tonnes | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 30.39 million tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 29.55 million tonnes | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 28.14 million tonnes | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 26.74 million tonnes | -5.0% |
| 2020 | 25.74 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 25.10 million tonnes | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 24.44 million tonnes | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 24.55 million tonnes | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.65 million tonnes | 544,000 tonnes | 2.67 million tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.57 million tonnes | 3.37 million tonnes | 10.64 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.64 million tonnes | 11.53 million tonnes | 18.86 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.61 million tonnes | 18.00 million tonnes | 25.27 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.02 million tonnes | 22.14 million tonnes | 28.96 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.77 million tonnes | 26.74 million tonnes | 30.98 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.96 million tonnes | 24.44 million tonnes | 25.74 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled in China?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled in China was 24.55 million tonnes in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 30.98 million tonnes in 2014.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 544,000 tonnes in 1961.
- How does China rank for nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled?
- China ranks 1st out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Nitrogen fertilizer use, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Nitrogen fertilizer use with 52 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Nitrogen fertilizer use Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Nitrogen fertilizer use with 52 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.