Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in Canada
Canada: Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen per unit area was 73.9 kg/ha in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in Canada, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kg/ha.
Analysis
In 2023, mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen per unit area in Canada stood at 73.9 kg/ha. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 11.4% on the previous year and up 26.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen per unit area in Canada peaked at 73.9 kg/ha in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.3 kg/ha, in 1961.
That places Canada 46th out of 186 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.
Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in Canada, year by year
| Year | kg/ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.3 kg/ha | — |
| 1962 | 2.84 kg/ha | +23.3% |
| 1963 | 3.62 kg/ha | +27.6% |
| 1964 | 4.08 kg/ha | +12.7% |
| 1965 | 5.17 kg/ha | +26.7% |
| 1966 | 6.5 kg/ha | +25.7% |
| 1967 | 7.52 kg/ha | +15.7% |
| 1968 | 5.76 kg/ha | -23.4% |
| 1969 | 6.28 kg/ha | +9.1% |
| 1970 | 7.17 kg/ha | +14.2% |
| 1971 | 7.97 kg/ha | +11.1% |
| 1972 | 9.51 kg/ha | +19.4% |
| 1973 | 11.86 kg/ha | +24.7% |
| 1974 | 12.25 kg/ha | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 12.87 kg/ha | +5.0% |
| 1976 | 13.73 kg/ha | +6.7% |
| 1977 | 16.62 kg/ha | +21.1% |
| 1978 | 18.86 kg/ha | +13.4% |
| 1979 | 19.32 kg/ha | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 20.99 kg/ha | +8.7% |
| 1981 | 21.56 kg/ha | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 23.56 kg/ha | +9.2% |
| 1983 | 27.5 kg/ha | +16.7% |
| 1984 | 29.19 kg/ha | +6.1% |
| 1985 | 27.54 kg/ha | -5.7% |
| 1986 | 24.77 kg/ha | -10.0% |
| 1987 | 25.57 kg/ha | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 25.11 kg/ha | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 25.94 kg/ha | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 25.12 kg/ha | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 27.23 kg/ha | +8.4% |
| 1992 | 28.65 kg/ha | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 30.82 kg/ha | +7.6% |
| 1994 | 31.64 kg/ha | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 34.37 kg/ha | +8.6% |
| 1996 | 36.46 kg/ha | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 36.1 kg/ha | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 35.53 kg/ha | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 36.78 kg/ha | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 34.53 kg/ha | -6.1% |
| 2001 | 34.17 kg/ha | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 36.27 kg/ha | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 36.71 kg/ha | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 34.54 kg/ha | -5.9% |
| 2005 | 37.51 kg/ha | +8.6% |
| 2006 | 35.7 kg/ha | -4.8% |
| 2007 | 45.62 kg/ha | +27.8% |
| 2008 | 43.38 kg/ha | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 44.88 kg/ha | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 48.03 kg/ha | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 57.5 kg/ha | +19.7% |
| 2012 | 62.84 kg/ha | +9.3% |
| 2013 | 58.26 kg/ha | -7.3% |
| 2014 | 60.21 kg/ha | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 59.88 kg/ha | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 56.4 kg/ha | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 59.16 kg/ha | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 62.87 kg/ha | +6.3% |
| 2019 | 63.1 kg/ha | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 70.08 kg/ha | +11.1% |
| 2021 | 64.96 kg/ha | -7.3% |
| 2022 | 66.34 kg/ha | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 73.9 kg/ha | +11.4% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 73.9 kg/ha is above the median for high income countries, which is 66.69 kg/ha, 1.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.9 kg/ha | 2.3 kg/ha | 7.52 kg/ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 13.02 kg/ha | 7.17 kg/ha | 19.32 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.17 kg/ha | 20.99 kg/ha | 29.19 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.27 kg/ha | 25.12 kg/ha | 36.78 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 38.33 kg/ha | 34.17 kg/ha | 45.62 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.83 kg/ha | 48.03 kg/ha | 63.1 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.82 kg/ha | 64.96 kg/ha | 73.9 kg/ha | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More environment data for Canada
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.76 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.642 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.96 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 2.9 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.3398 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen per unit area in Canada?
- Mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen per unit area in Canada was 73.9 kg/ha in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen per unit area recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 73.9 kg/ha in 2023.
- What is the lowest mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen per unit area recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3 kg/ha in 1961.
- How does Canada rank for mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen per unit area?
- Canada ranks 46th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen per unit area rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen per unit area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
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 (%).