Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in Zambia
Zambia: Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita was 0.0112 tonnes per person in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in Zambia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in Zambia is 0.0112 tonnes per person, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 31.3% on the previous year and up 22.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in Zambia peaked at 0.0121 tonnes per person in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.0008 tonnes per person, in 2000.
Zambia ranks 54th of 195 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.0016 tonnes per person | — |
| 1962 | 0.0013 tonnes per person | -17.4% |
| 1963 | 0.0013 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 0.0017 tonnes per person | +26.4% |
| 1965 | 0.0016 tonnes per person | -3.1% |
| 1966 | 0.0016 tonnes per person | -3.1% |
| 1967 | 0.0017 tonnes per person | +4.9% |
| 1968 | 0.003 tonnes per person | +78.7% |
| 1969 | 0.0022 tonnes per person | -26.3% |
| 1970 | 0.0046 tonnes per person | +109.4% |
| 1971 | 0.0074 tonnes per person | +62.1% |
| 1972 | 0.0055 tonnes per person | -25.9% |
| 1973 | 0.0051 tonnes per person | -6.7% |
| 1974 | 0.0074 tonnes per person | +45.3% |
| 1975 | 0.0068 tonnes per person | -8.9% |
| 1976 | 0.0077 tonnes per person | +14.6% |
| 1977 | 0.0087 tonnes per person | +12.6% |
| 1978 | 0.0057 tonnes per person | -34.9% |
| 1979 | 0.0068 tonnes per person | +19.5% |
| 1980 | 0.0091 tonnes per person | +34.8% |
| 1981 | 0.0096 tonnes per person | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 0.0088 tonnes per person | -9.1% |
| 1983 | 0.0068 tonnes per person | -22.5% |
| 1984 | 0.0057 tonnes per person | -15.4% |
| 1985 | 0.0079 tonnes per person | +37.1% |
| 1986 | 0.0077 tonnes per person | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 0.0086 tonnes per person | +11.6% |
| 1988 | 0.0076 tonnes per person | -11.7% |
| 1989 | 0.0068 tonnes per person | -10.0% |
| 1990 | 0.0049 tonnes per person | -28.7% |
| 1991 | 0.005 tonnes per person | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 0.007 tonnes per person | +39.5% |
| 1993 | 0.0069 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 0.0044 tonnes per person | -35.9% |
| 1995 | 0.0039 tonnes per person | -12.7% |
| 1996 | 0.0031 tonnes per person | -21.1% |
| 1997 | 0.0035 tonnes per person | +15.6% |
| 1998 | 0.0014 tonnes per person | -60.6% |
| 1999 | 0.0011 tonnes per person | -21.7% |
| 2000 | 0.0008 tonnes per person | -26.8% |
| 2001 | 0.0013 tonnes per person | +57.7% |
| 2002 | 0.0038 tonnes per person | +200.9% |
| 2003 | 0.0039 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 0.0053 tonnes per person | +36.2% |
| 2005 | 0.0044 tonnes per person | -17.0% |
| 2006 | 0.0041 tonnes per person | -7.9% |
| 2007 | 0.0044 tonnes per person | +9.3% |
| 2008 | 0.0041 tonnes per person | -7.9% |
| 2009 | 0.0048 tonnes per person | +16.3% |
| 2010 | 0.0056 tonnes per person | +16.9% |
| 2011 | 0.0081 tonnes per person | +45.2% |
| 2012 | 0.0067 tonnes per person | -17.4% |
| 2013 | 0.0091 tonnes per person | +37.2% |
| 2014 | 0.0087 tonnes per person | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 0.0101 tonnes per person | +16.3% |
| 2016 | 0.0111 tonnes per person | +10.2% |
| 2017 | 0.0121 tonnes per person | +8.6% |
| 2018 | 0.0082 tonnes per person | -31.8% |
| 2019 | 0.0091 tonnes per person | +10.0% |
| 2020 | 0.0101 tonnes per person | +11.1% |
| 2021 | 0.0091 tonnes per person | -9.4% |
| 2022 | 0.0085 tonnes per person | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 0.0112 tonnes per person | +31.3% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 0.0112 tonnes per person is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.0027 tonnes per person, 4.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 0.0112 tonnes per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0012 tonnes per person, 9.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +200.9% | 0.0013 tonnes per person | 0.0038 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0018 tonnes per person | 0.0013 tonnes per person | 0.003 tonnes per person | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.0066 tonnes per person | 0.0046 tonnes per person | 0.0087 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0079 tonnes per person | 0.0057 tonnes per person | 0.0096 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0041 tonnes per person | 0.0011 tonnes per person | 0.007 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0037 tonnes per person | 0.0008 tonnes per person | 0.0053 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0089 tonnes per person | 0.0056 tonnes per person | 0.0121 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0097 tonnes per person | 0.0085 tonnes per person | 0.0112 tonnes per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 65.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 54.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5408 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in Zambia?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita in Zambia was 0.0112 tonnes per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0121 tonnes per person in 2017.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0008 tonnes per person in 2000.
- How does Zambia rank for nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita?
- Zambia ranks 54th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use, per capita rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.