Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied in South Africa

South Africa: Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied was 2 kg per person in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
2 kg per person
Change on year
down 23.4%
World rank
70th
of 176 countries
All-time high
5.19 kg per person
in 1981
All-time low
0.9666 kg per person
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied in South Africa, 1961–2023

12345196119922023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in kg per person.

Analysis

In 2023, nutrient nitrogen n (total) — nitrogen fertilizer content applied in South Africa stood at 2 kg per person.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 23.4% on the previous year and down 9.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, nutrient nitrogen n (total) — nitrogen fertilizer content applied in South Africa peaked at 5.19 kg per person in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0.9666 kg per person, in 1961.

That places South Africa 70th out of 176 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied that leaches, per capita in South Africa, 1961 to 2023.
Year kg per person Change
1961 0.9666 kg per person
1962 1.22 kg per person +26.0%
1963 1.42 kg per person +16.7%
1964 1.51 kg per person +6.2%
1965 1.55 kg per person +2.6%
1966 1.49 kg per person -3.6%
1967 1.93 kg per person +29.7%
1968 2.06 kg per person +6.5%
1969 2.08 kg per person +1.1%
1970 2.43 kg per person +16.8%
1971 2.73 kg per person +12.1%
1972 3.21 kg per person +18.0%
1973 2.85 kg per person -11.2%
1974 2.76 kg per person -3.2%
1975 3.33 kg per person +20.6%
1976 3.59 kg per person +7.8%
1977 3.79 kg per person +5.7%
1978 4.08 kg per person +7.5%
1979 4.19 kg per person +2.8%
1980 4.74 kg per person +13.0%
1981 5.19 kg per person +9.5%
1982 4.52 kg per person -13.0%
1983 3.37 kg per person -25.3%
1984 3.62 kg per person +7.4%
1985 3.24 kg per person -10.4%
1986 3.09 kg per person -4.7%
1987 2.64 kg per person -14.7%
1988 2.97 kg per person +12.6%
1989 2.84 kg per person -4.3%
1990 2.78 kg per person -2.1%
1991 2.58 kg per person -7.3%
1992 2.57 kg per person -0.4%
1993 2.85 kg per person +11.2%
1994 2.56 kg per person -10.3%
1995 2.6 kg per person +1.7%
1996 2.69 kg per person +3.6%
1997 2.66 kg per person -1.2%
1998 2.63 kg per person -1.0%
1999 2.65 kg per person +0.6%
2000 2.65 kg per person -0.2%
2001 2.48 kg per person -6.3%
2002 2.98 kg per person +20.2%
2003 2.6 kg per person -12.7%
2004 2.62 kg per person +0.6%
2005 2.11 kg per person -19.6%
2006 2.57 kg per person +22.2%
2007 2.61 kg per person +1.4%
2008 2.49 kg per person -4.6%
2009 2.4 kg per person -3.5%
2010 2.26 kg per person -5.7%
2011 2.37 kg per person +4.8%
2012 2.37 kg per person -0.1%
2013 2.22 kg per person -6.5%
2014 2.13 kg per person -3.8%
2015 1.89 kg per person -11.4%
2016 1.71 kg per person -9.3%
2017 2.45 kg per person +42.8%
2018 2.6 kg per person +6.3%
2019 2.69 kg per person +3.6%
2020 2.91 kg per person +8.2%
2021 3.02 kg per person +3.5%
2022 2.61 kg per person -13.7%
2023 2 kg per person -23.4%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 2 kg per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.76 kg per person, 1.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 2 kg per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.3399 kg per person, 5.9× the median. (44 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 1.58 kg per person 0.9666 kg per person 2.08 kg per person 9
1970s 3.3 kg per person 2.43 kg per person 4.19 kg per person 10
1980s 3.62 kg per person 2.64 kg per person 5.19 kg per person 10
1990s 2.66 kg per person 2.56 kg per person 2.85 kg per person 10
2000s 2.55 kg per person 2.11 kg per person 2.98 kg per person 10
2010s 2.27 kg per person 1.71 kg per person 2.69 kg per person 10
2020s 2.63 kg per person 2 kg per person 3.02 kg per person 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 67 Tajikistan 2.17 kg per person compare
  2. 68 Botswana 2.12 kg per person compare
  3. 69 Namibia 2.1 kg per person compare
  4. 71 Cyprus 1.99 kg per person compare
  5. 72 Peru 1.97 kg per person compare
  6. 73 Azerbaijan 1.9 kg per person compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More climate change data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is nutrient nitrogen n (total) — nitrogen fertilizer content applied in South Africa?
Nutrient nitrogen n (total) — nitrogen fertilizer content applied in South Africa was 2 kg per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest nutrient nitrogen n (total) — nitrogen fertilizer content applied recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 5.19 kg per person in 1981.
What is the lowest nutrient nitrogen n (total) — nitrogen fertilizer content applied recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0.9666 kg per person in 1961.
How does South Africa rank for nutrient nitrogen n (total) — nitrogen fertilizer content applied?
South Africa ranks 70th out of 176 countries with data for 2023.
Is nutrient nitrogen n (total) — nitrogen fertilizer content applied 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 Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied that leaches, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/nutrient-nitrogen-n-total-nitrogen-fertilizer-content-applied-that-leaches-per-capita/south-africa/

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<a href="https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/nutrient-nitrogen-n-total-nitrogen-fertilizer-content-applied-that-leaches-per-capita/south-africa/">Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied that leaches divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied that leaches ÷ Population, total

Computed from

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

Indicator
Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied that leaches, per capita
Unit
kg per person
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
178 places, 9,865 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied that leaches divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.