Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) in South Africa

South Africa: Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) was 346.75 kg per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
346.75 kg per square kilometre
Change on year
down 22.3%
World rank
86th
of 175 countries
All-time high
510.05 kg per square kilometre
in 2021
All-time low
44.91 kg per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) in South Africa, 1961–2023

0100200300400500196119922023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in kg per square kilometre.

Analysis

In 2023, nutrient nitrogen n (total) — synthetic fertilizers (agricultural) in South Africa stood at 346.75 kg per square kilometre.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 22.3% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, nutrient nitrogen n (total) — synthetic fertilizers (agricultural) in South Africa peaked at 510.05 kg per square kilometre in 2021 and was at its lowest, 44.91 kg per square kilometre, in 1961.

South Africa ranks 86th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural use), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961 to 2023.
Year kg per square kilometre Change
1961 44.91 kg per square kilometre
1962 58.27 kg per square kilometre +29.8%
1963 70.07 kg per square kilometre +20.3%
1964 76.75 kg per square kilometre +9.5%
1965 81.2 kg per square kilometre +5.8%
1966 80.7 kg per square kilometre -0.6%
1967 107.99 kg per square kilometre +33.8%
1968 118.62 kg per square kilometre +9.8%
1969 123.65 kg per square kilometre +4.2%
1970 148.88 kg per square kilometre +20.4%
1971 171.79 kg per square kilometre +15.4%
1972 208.56 kg per square kilometre +21.4%
1973 190.5 kg per square kilometre -8.7%
1974 189.72 kg per square kilometre -0.4%
1975 235.2 kg per square kilometre +24.0%
1976 260.44 kg per square kilometre +10.7%
1977 282.75 kg per square kilometre +8.6%
1978 312.34 kg per square kilometre +10.5%
1979 329.97 kg per square kilometre +5.6%
1980 384.46 kg per square kilometre +16.5%
1981 435.72 kg per square kilometre +13.3%
1982 392.3 kg per square kilometre -10.0%
1983 303.27 kg per square kilometre -22.7%
1984 337.24 kg per square kilometre +11.2%
1985 312.43 kg per square kilometre -7.4%
1986 307.4 kg per square kilometre -1.6%
1987 270.55 kg per square kilometre -12.0%
1988 313.97 kg per square kilometre +16.0%
1989 309.32 kg per square kilometre -1.5%
1990 311.27 kg per square kilometre +0.6%
1991 295.2 kg per square kilometre -5.2%
1992 299.24 kg per square kilometre +1.4%
1993 339.3 kg per square kilometre +13.4%
1994 309.21 kg per square kilometre -8.9%
1995 318.2 kg per square kilometre +2.9%
1996 333.86 kg per square kilometre +4.9%
1997 333.86 kg per square kilometre +0.0%
1998 334.68 kg per square kilometre +0.2%
1999 340.45 kg per square kilometre +1.7%
2000 342.84 kg per square kilometre +0.7%
2001 323.97 kg per square kilometre -5.5%
2002 393.27 kg per square kilometre +21.4%
2003 346.9 kg per square kilometre -11.8%
2004 352.46 kg per square kilometre +1.6%
2005 286.26 kg per square kilometre -18.8%
2006 353.41 kg per square kilometre +23.5%
2007 362.28 kg per square kilometre +2.5%
2008 349.62 kg per square kilometre -3.5%
2009 341.28 kg per square kilometre -2.4%
2010 325.62 kg per square kilometre -4.6%
2011 345.4 kg per square kilometre +6.1%
2012 350.35 kg per square kilometre +1.4%
2013 333.03 kg per square kilometre -4.9%
2014 325.62 kg per square kilometre -2.2%
2015 294.29 kg per square kilometre -9.6%
2016 269.56 kg per square kilometre -8.4%
2017 387.44 kg per square kilometre +43.7%
2018 418.71 kg per square kilometre +8.1%
2019 441.19 kg per square kilometre +5.4%
2020 485.04 kg per square kilometre +9.9%
2021 510.05 kg per square kilometre +5.2%
2022 446.52 kg per square kilometre -12.5%
2023 346.75 kg per square kilometre -22.3%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 346.75 kg per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 460.22 kg per square kilometre, 75% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 346.75 kg per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.1 kg per square kilometre, 4.9× the median. (44 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 84.68 kg per square kilometre 44.91 kg per square kilometre 123.65 kg per square kilometre 9
1970s 233.02 kg per square kilometre 148.88 kg per square kilometre 329.97 kg per square kilometre 10
1980s 336.67 kg per square kilometre 270.55 kg per square kilometre 435.72 kg per square kilometre 10
1990s 321.53 kg per square kilometre 295.2 kg per square kilometre 340.45 kg per square kilometre 10
2000s 345.23 kg per square kilometre 286.26 kg per square kilometre 393.27 kg per square kilometre 10
2010s 349.12 kg per square kilometre 269.56 kg per square kilometre 441.19 kg per square kilometre 10
2020s 447.09 kg per square kilometre 346.75 kg per square kilometre 510.05 kg per square kilometre 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 83 Iraq 390.96 kg per square kilometre compare
  2. 84 Colombia 384.08 kg per square kilometre compare
  3. 85 Canada 354.55 kg per square kilometre compare
  4. 87 Ghana 346.74 kg per square kilometre compare
  5. 88 Paraguay 339.69 kg per square kilometre compare
  6. 89 Ecuador 335.11 kg per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 177 places →

More climate change data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is nutrient nitrogen n (total) — synthetic fertilizers (agricultural) in South Africa?
Nutrient nitrogen n (total) — synthetic fertilizers (agricultural) in South Africa was 346.75 kg per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest nutrient nitrogen n (total) — synthetic fertilizers (agricultural) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 510.05 kg per square kilometre in 2021.
What is the lowest nutrient nitrogen n (total) — synthetic fertilizers (agricultural) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 44.91 kg per square kilometre in 1961.
How does South Africa rank for nutrient nitrogen n (total) — synthetic fertilizers (agricultural)?
South Africa ranks 86th out of 175 countries with data for 2023.
Is nutrient nitrogen n (total) — synthetic fertilizers (agricultural) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural use), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/nutrient-nitrogen-n-total-synthetic-fertilizers-agricultural-use-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/

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<a href="https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/nutrient-nitrogen-n-total-synthetic-fertilizers-agricultural-use-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/">Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural 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.

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural use) ÷ Land area (sq. km)

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) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural use), per square kilometre
Unit
kg per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
177 places, 9,026 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural 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.