Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in Zambia
Zambia: Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre was 0.3122 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in Zambia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in Zambia is 0.3122 tonnes per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 35.0% on the previous year and up 64.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in Zambia peaked at 0.3122 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0061 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1962.
That places Zambia 103rd out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 square kilometre in Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.0071 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.0061 tonnes per square kilometre | -14.8% |
| 1963 | 0.0062 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 0.0081 tonnes per square kilometre | +30.4% |
| 1965 | 0.0081 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.0081 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.0087 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.3% |
| 1968 | 0.0161 tonnes per square kilometre | +84.6% |
| 1969 | 0.0123 tonnes per square kilometre | -24.0% |
| 1970 | 0.0265 tonnes per square kilometre | +115.6% |
| 1971 | 0.0441 tonnes per square kilometre | +66.7% |
| 1972 | 0.0336 tonnes per square kilometre | -23.8% |
| 1973 | 0.0323 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.0% |
| 1974 | 0.0483 tonnes per square kilometre | +49.6% |
| 1975 | 0.0453 tonnes per square kilometre | -6.1% |
| 1976 | 0.0535 tonnes per square kilometre | +18.1% |
| 1977 | 0.0621 tonnes per square kilometre | +16.1% |
| 1978 | 0.0417 tonnes per square kilometre | -32.9% |
| 1979 | 0.0513 tonnes per square kilometre | +23.1% |
| 1980 | 0.0713 tonnes per square kilometre | +38.8% |
| 1981 | 0.0775 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.7% |
| 1982 | 0.0728 tonnes per square kilometre | -6.1% |
| 1983 | 0.0582 tonnes per square kilometre | -19.9% |
| 1984 | 0.0508 tonnes per square kilometre | -12.8% |
| 1985 | 0.0718 tonnes per square kilometre | +41.2% |
| 1986 | 0.0724 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 0.0832 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.9% |
| 1988 | 0.0754 tonnes per square kilometre | -9.3% |
| 1989 | 0.0697 tonnes per square kilometre | -7.6% |
| 1990 | 0.051 tonnes per square kilometre | -26.8% |
| 1991 | 0.0539 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1992 | 0.0771 tonnes per square kilometre | +42.9% |
| 1993 | 0.0779 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 0.0511 tonnes per square kilometre | -34.4% |
| 1995 | 0.0457 tonnes per square kilometre | -10.5% |
| 1996 | 0.037 tonnes per square kilometre | -19.1% |
| 1997 | 0.0439 tonnes per square kilometre | +18.5% |
| 1998 | 0.0178 tonnes per square kilometre | -59.5% |
| 1999 | 0.0143 tonnes per square kilometre | -19.5% |
| 2000 | 0.0108 tonnes per square kilometre | -24.7% |
| 2001 | 0.0175 tonnes per square kilometre | +62.5% |
| 2002 | 0.0543 tonnes per square kilometre | +210.3% |
| 2003 | 0.0576 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 0.0809 tonnes per square kilometre | +40.5% |
| 2005 | 0.0695 tonnes per square kilometre | -14.2% |
| 2006 | 0.0662 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 0.075 tonnes per square kilometre | +13.3% |
| 2008 | 0.0716 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.6% |
| 2009 | 0.0863 tonnes per square kilometre | +20.5% |
| 2010 | 0.1044 tonnes per square kilometre | +21.0% |
| 2011 | 0.1567 tonnes per square kilometre | +50.1% |
| 2012 | 0.1336 tonnes per square kilometre | -14.7% |
| 2013 | 0.1893 tonnes per square kilometre | +41.7% |
| 2014 | 0.1856 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 0.2226 tonnes per square kilometre | +19.9% |
| 2016 | 0.253 tonnes per square kilometre | +13.7% |
| 2017 | 0.2834 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1991 tonnes per square kilometre | -29.8% |
| 2019 | 0.2255 tonnes per square kilometre | +13.3% |
| 2020 | 0.2579 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.4% |
| 2021 | 0.2403 tonnes per square kilometre | -6.8% |
| 2022 | 0.2313 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 0.3122 tonnes per square kilometre | +35.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 0.3122 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2311 tonnes per square kilometre, 1.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 0.3122 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0709 tonnes per square kilometre, 4.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre 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 | +210.3% | 0.0175 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0543 tonnes per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.009 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0061 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0161 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.0439 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0265 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0621 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0703 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0508 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0832 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.047 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0143 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0779 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.059 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0108 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0863 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1953 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.1044 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.2834 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2604 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.2313 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.3122 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 100 Barbados 0.3279 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 101 Jamaica 0.3277 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 102 Syria 0.3226 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 104 Norway 0.2914 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 105 Kenya 0.2868 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 106 Australia 0.2796 tonnes per square kilometre compare
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 square kilometre in Zambia?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre in Zambia was 0.3122 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3122 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0061 tonnes per square kilometre in 1962.
- How does Zambia rank for nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre?
- Zambia ranks 103rd out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use, per square kilometre rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.9%. 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 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.