Leaching — Cropland nitrogen in China

China: Leaching — Cropland nitrogen was 3.52 million t in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
3.52 million t
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
1st
of 186 countries
All-time high
4.08 million t
in 2014
All-time low
325,573 t
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Leaching — Cropland nitrogen in China, 1961–2023

01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M196119922023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.

Analysis

The most recent figure for leaching — cropland nitrogen in China is 3.52 million t, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 13.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, leaching — cropland nitrogen in China peaked at 4.08 million t in 2014 and was at its lowest, 325,573 t, in 1961.

China ranks 1st of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Leaching — Cropland nitrogen in China, year by year

Annual values for Leaching — Cropland nitrogen in China, 1961 to 2023.
Year t Change
1961 325,573 t —
1962 344,215 t +5.7%
1963 381,819 t +10.9%
1964 443,590 t +16.2%
1965 525,588 t +18.5%
1966 631,290 t +20.1%
1967 585,488 t -7.3%
1968 609,903 t +4.2%
1969 655,663 t +7.5%
1970 724,060 t +10.4%
1971 752,300 t +3.9%
1972 834,248 t +10.9%
1973 903,898 t +8.3%
1974 846,173 t -6.4%
1975 968,082 t +14.4%
1976 954,860 t -1.4%
1977 1.19 million t +24.1%
1978 1.41 million t +18.9%
1979 1.56 million t +10.4%
1980 1.73 million t +10.9%
1981 1.66 million t -3.7%
1982 1.74 million t +4.5%
1983 1.90 million t +9.3%
1984 2.05 million t +7.9%
1985 1.93 million t -5.6%
1986 1.94 million t +0.5%
1987 2.30 million t +18.2%
1988 2.48 million t +7.8%
1989 2.54 million t +2.6%
1990 2.63 million t +3.5%
1991 2.71 million t +2.8%
1992 2.76 million t +2.1%
1993 2.56 million t -7.2%
1994 2.72 million t +6.1%
1995 3.24 million t +19.1%
1996 3.46 million t +6.7%
1997 3.14 million t -9.2%
1998 3.14 million t +0.2%
1999 3.31 million t +5.3%
2000 3.14 million t -5.2%
2001 3.16 million t +0.6%
2002 3.45 million t +9.3%
2003 3.46 million t +0.1%
2004 3.58 million t +3.6%
2005 3.65 million t +1.8%
2006 3.72 million t +1.9%
2007 3.77 million t +1.5%
2008 3.84 million t +1.9%
2009 3.92 million t +2.0%
2010 3.98 million t +1.5%
2011 3.99 million t +0.4%
2012 4.06 million t +1.6%
2013 4.07 million t +0.2%
2014 4.08 million t +0.2%
2015 4.06 million t -0.3%
2016 4.03 million t -0.9%
2017 3.93 million t -2.4%
2018 3.79 million t -3.6%
2019 3.58 million t -5.5%
2020 3.57 million t -0.4%
2021 3.54 million t -0.7%
2022 3.50 million t -1.1%
2023 3.52 million t +0.4%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 3.52 million t is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8,884 t, 395.7× the median. (51 countries reporting)
  • China's 3.52 million t is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4,015 t, 875.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 500,348 t 325,573 t 655,663 t 9
1970s 1.01 million t 724,060 t 1.56 million t 10
1980s 2.03 million t 1.66 million t 2.54 million t 10
1990s 2.97 million t 2.56 million t 3.46 million t 10
2000s 3.57 million t 3.14 million t 3.92 million t 10
2010s 3.96 million t 3.58 million t 4.08 million t 10
2020s 3.53 million t 3.50 million t 3.57 million t 4

Countries ranked near China

  1. 2 China, mainland 3.49 million t compare
  2. 3 India 2.28 million t compare
  3. 3 Viet Nam 242,668 t compare
  4. 4 Türkiye 212,476 t compare
  5. 4 USSR 1.87 million t compare

See the full ranking of 233 places →

More environment data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is leaching — cropland nitrogen in China?
Leaching — cropland nitrogen in China was 3.52 million t in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest leaching — cropland nitrogen recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 4.08 million t in 2014.
What is the lowest leaching — cropland nitrogen recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 325,573 t in 1961.
How does China rank for leaching — cropland nitrogen?
China ranks 1st out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
Is leaching — cropland nitrogen rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Leaching — Cropland nitrogen. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Leaching — Cropland nitrogen in China. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/leaching-cropland-nitrogen/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Leaching — Cropland nitrogen
Unit
t
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
233 places, 13,500 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

The Cropland Nutrient balance domain contains information on the flows of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from mineral fertilizer, manure applied, atmospheric deposition, crop removal, and biological fixation over cropland and per unit area of cropland. The flows are aggregated to total inputs and total outputs, from which the overall nutrient balance and nutrient use efficiency on cropland are calculated. Statistics are disseminated in units of tonnes and in kg/ha, as appropriate. Nutrient use efficiency is expressed as a fraction (%).