Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita was 0.0067 tonnes per person in 2023. ▬ Flat
Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in South Africa is 0.0067 tonnes per person, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 23.4% on the previous year and down 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in South Africa peaked at 0.0173 tonnes per person in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0.0032 tonnes per person, in 1961.
That places South Africa 79th out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.0032 tonnes per person | — |
| 1962 | 0.0041 tonnes per person | +26.0% |
| 1963 | 0.0047 tonnes per person | +16.7% |
| 1964 | 0.005 tonnes per person | +6.2% |
| 1965 | 0.0052 tonnes per person | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 0.005 tonnes per person | -3.6% |
| 1967 | 0.0064 tonnes per person | +29.7% |
| 1968 | 0.0069 tonnes per person | +6.5% |
| 1969 | 0.0069 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 0.0081 tonnes per person | +16.8% |
| 1971 | 0.0091 tonnes per person | +12.1% |
| 1972 | 0.0107 tonnes per person | +18.0% |
| 1973 | 0.0095 tonnes per person | -11.2% |
| 1974 | 0.0092 tonnes per person | -3.2% |
| 1975 | 0.0111 tonnes per person | +20.6% |
| 1976 | 0.012 tonnes per person | +7.8% |
| 1977 | 0.0126 tonnes per person | +5.7% |
| 1978 | 0.0136 tonnes per person | +7.5% |
| 1979 | 0.014 tonnes per person | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 0.0158 tonnes per person | +13.0% |
| 1981 | 0.0173 tonnes per person | +9.5% |
| 1982 | 0.0151 tonnes per person | -13.0% |
| 1983 | 0.0112 tonnes per person | -25.3% |
| 1984 | 0.0121 tonnes per person | +7.4% |
| 1985 | 0.0108 tonnes per person | -10.4% |
| 1986 | 0.0103 tonnes per person | -4.7% |
| 1987 | 0.0088 tonnes per person | -14.7% |
| 1988 | 0.0099 tonnes per person | +12.6% |
| 1989 | 0.0095 tonnes per person | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 0.0093 tonnes per person | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 0.0086 tonnes per person | -7.3% |
| 1992 | 0.0086 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 0.0095 tonnes per person | +11.2% |
| 1994 | 0.0085 tonnes per person | -10.3% |
| 1995 | 0.0087 tonnes per person | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 0.009 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 0.0089 tonnes per person | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 0.0088 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 0.0088 tonnes per person | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 0.0088 tonnes per person | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 0.0083 tonnes per person | -6.3% |
| 2002 | 0.0099 tonnes per person | +20.2% |
| 2003 | 0.0087 tonnes per person | -12.7% |
| 2004 | 0.0087 tonnes per person | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 0.007 tonnes per person | -19.6% |
| 2006 | 0.0086 tonnes per person | +22.2% |
| 2007 | 0.0087 tonnes per person | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 0.0083 tonnes per person | -4.6% |
| 2009 | 0.008 tonnes per person | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 0.0075 tonnes per person | -5.7% |
| 2011 | 0.0079 tonnes per person | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 0.0079 tonnes per person | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.0074 tonnes per person | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 0.0071 tonnes per person | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 0.0063 tonnes per person | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 0.0057 tonnes per person | -9.3% |
| 2017 | 0.0082 tonnes per person | +42.8% |
| 2018 | 0.0087 tonnes per person | +6.3% |
| 2019 | 0.009 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 0.0097 tonnes per person | +8.2% |
| 2021 | 0.0101 tonnes per person | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 0.0087 tonnes per person | -13.7% |
| 2023 | 0.0067 tonnes per person | -23.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0067 tonnes per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0063 tonnes per person, 1.0× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.0067 tonnes per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0012 tonnes per person, 5.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0053 tonnes per person | 0.0032 tonnes per person | 0.0069 tonnes per person | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.011 tonnes per person | 0.0081 tonnes per person | 0.014 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0121 tonnes per person | 0.0088 tonnes per person | 0.0173 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0089 tonnes per person | 0.0085 tonnes per person | 0.0095 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0085 tonnes per person | 0.007 tonnes per person | 0.0099 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0076 tonnes per person | 0.0057 tonnes per person | 0.009 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0088 tonnes per person | 0.0067 tonnes per person | 0.0101 tonnes per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in South Africa?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in South Africa was 0.0067 tonnes per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0173 tonnes per person in 1981.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0032 tonnes per person in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 79th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita. 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 divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Nitrogen fertilizer use ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Nitrogen fertilizer use Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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 divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.