Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in New Zealand
New Zealand: Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre was 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in New Zealand, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre for nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in 2023.
The figure is down 12.1% on the previous year and down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in New Zealand peaked at 1.78 tonnes per square kilometre in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0131 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1962.
That places New Zealand 42nd out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.0162 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.0131 tonnes per square kilometre | -19.2% |
| 1963 | 0.0153 tonnes per square kilometre | +16.6% |
| 1964 | 0.0224 tonnes per square kilometre | +47.1% |
| 1965 | 0.0249 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.0% |
| 1966 | 0.0261 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1967 | 0.0187 tonnes per square kilometre | -28.5% |
| 1968 | 0.0301 tonnes per square kilometre | +61.1% |
| 1969 | 0.0373 tonnes per square kilometre | +24.1% |
| 1970 | 0.0301 tonnes per square kilometre | -19.2% |
| 1971 | 0.0376 tonnes per square kilometre | +24.6% |
| 1972 | 0.1207 tonnes per square kilometre | +221.3% |
| 1973 | 0.1232 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 0.0678 tonnes per square kilometre | -45.0% |
| 1975 | 0.0391 tonnes per square kilometre | -42.3% |
| 1976 | 0.0763 tonnes per square kilometre | +95.3% |
| 1977 | 0.0768 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 0.0946 tonnes per square kilometre | +23.1% |
| 1979 | 0.0847 tonnes per square kilometre | -10.4% |
| 1980 | 0.0771 tonnes per square kilometre | -9.0% |
| 1981 | 0.0824 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 1982 | 0.1145 tonnes per square kilometre | +38.9% |
| 1983 | 0.1259 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.9% |
| 1984 | 0.1519 tonnes per square kilometre | +20.7% |
| 1985 | 0.1215 tonnes per square kilometre | -20.0% |
| 1986 | 0.1025 tonnes per square kilometre | -15.6% |
| 1987 | 0.1398 tonnes per square kilometre | +36.3% |
| 1988 | 0.0779 tonnes per square kilometre | -44.3% |
| 1989 | 0.0843 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.3% |
| 1990 | 0.1739 tonnes per square kilometre | +106.3% |
| 1991 | 0.245 tonnes per square kilometre | +40.8% |
| 1992 | 0.3429 tonnes per square kilometre | +40.0% |
| 1993 | 0.4015 tonnes per square kilometre | +17.1% |
| 1994 | 0.477 tonnes per square kilometre | +18.8% |
| 1995 | 0.5906 tonnes per square kilometre | +23.8% |
| 1996 | 0.5317 tonnes per square kilometre | -10.0% |
| 1997 | 0.5275 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 0.583 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.5% |
| 1999 | 0.6836 tonnes per square kilometre | +17.3% |
| 2000 | 0.8763 tonnes per square kilometre | +28.2% |
| 2001 | 1.02 tonnes per square kilometre | +16.6% |
| 2002 | 1.06 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 1.23 tonnes per square kilometre | +15.8% |
| 2004 | 1.32 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 2005 | 1.35 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 1.18 tonnes per square kilometre | -12.7% |
| 2007 | 1.18 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 1.25 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 1.13 tonnes per square kilometre | -9.5% |
| 2010 | 1.3 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.8% |
| 2011 | 1.39 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.6% |
| 2012 | 1.38 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 1.41 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 1.54 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 1.63 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 1.64 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 1.68 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 1.74 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 1.72 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 1.78 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 1.67 tonnes per square kilometre | -6.2% |
| 2022 | 1.6 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.8% |
| 2023 | 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre | -12.1% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.7098 tonnes per square kilometre, 2.0× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1534 tonnes per square kilometre, 9.1× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in New Zealand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +221.3% | 0.0376 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.1207 tonnes per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0227 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0131 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0373 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.0751 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0301 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.1232 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1078 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0771 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.1519 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4557 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.1739 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.6836 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.16 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.8763 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.35 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.54 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.3 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.74 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.61 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.78 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 39 Croatia 1.55 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 40 Spain 1.55 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 41 Lebanon 1.53 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 43 Dominican Republic 1.36 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 44 Israel 1.36 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 45 Greece 1.35 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for New Zealand
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -10.07 % change on previous year (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0401 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,976 current US$ per person (2023)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.275 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.16 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.0% (2023)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in New Zealand?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in New Zealand was 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 1.78 tonnes per square kilometre in 2020.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0131 tonnes per square kilometre in 1962.
- How does New Zealand rank for nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre?
- New Zealand ranks 42nd out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre. 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 Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Nitrogen fertilizer use ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Nitrogen fertilizer use Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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 Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.