Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen in China

China: Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen was 25.49 million t in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
25.49 million t
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
1st
of 186 countries
All-time high
30.96 million t
in 2013
All-time low
712,000 t
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen in China, 1961–2023

010.0M20.0M30.0M196119922023

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

Analysis

China recorded 25.49 million t for mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen in 2023.

That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and down 17.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen in China peaked at 30.96 million t in 2013 and was at its lowest, 712,000 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.

Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen in China, year by year

Annual values for Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen in China, 1961 to 2023.
Year t Change
1961 712,000 t —
1962 854,000 t +19.9%
1963 945,000 t +10.7%
1964 1.05 million t +11.5%
1965 1.58 million t +50.0%
1966 2.26 million t +43.0%
1967 1.79 million t -20.6%
1968 2.19 million t +21.9%
1969 2.57 million t +17.3%
1970 3.18 million t +23.8%
1971 3.29 million t +3.5%
1972 3.78 million t +14.8%
1973 4.34 million t +14.9%
1974 3.75 million t -13.6%
1975 4.91 million t +31.1%
1976 5.23 million t +6.4%
1977 7.37 million t +41.1%
1978 9.14 million t +23.9%
1979 10.50 million t +14.9%
1980 11.95 million t +13.8%
1981 11.41 million t -4.5%
1982 12.15 million t +6.5%
1983 13.59 million t +11.8%
1984 15.06 million t +10.8%
1985 13.72 million t -8.9%
1986 13.43 million t -2.1%
1987 16.66 million t +24.1%
1988 18.36 million t +10.2%
1989 18.70 million t +1.8%
1990 19.40 million t +3.7%
1991 19.80 million t +2.1%
1992 20.17 million t +1.9%
1993 17.84 million t -11.6%
1994 18.99 million t +6.5%
1995 23.61 million t +24.3%
1996 25.10 million t +6.3%
1997 22.81 million t -9.1%
1998 22.73 million t -0.3%
1999 24.00 million t +5.6%
2000 22.43 million t -6.5%
2001 22.56 million t +0.6%
2002 25.63 million t +13.6%
2003 25.23 million t -1.6%
2004 26.70 million t +5.8%
2005 27.03 million t +1.2%
2006 28.67 million t +6.1%
2007 28.36 million t -1.1%
2008 27.83 million t -1.8%
2009 29.64 million t +6.5%
2010 28.47 million t -4.0%
2011 30.10 million t +5.7%
2012 30.63 million t +1.8%
2013 30.96 million t +1.1%
2014 29.15 million t -5.8%
2015 29.81 million t +2.3%
2016 28.29 million t -5.1%
2017 26.25 million t -7.2%
2018 25.76 million t -1.9%
2019 25.82 million t +0.2%
2020 24.77 million t -4.0%
2021 23.92 million t -3.4%
2022 24.75 million t +3.5%
2023 25.49 million t +3.0%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 25.49 million t is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 38,614 t, 660.2× the median. (51 countries reporting)
  • China's 25.49 million t is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 25,216 t, 1010.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 1.55 million t 712,000 t 2.57 million t 9
1970s 5.55 million t 3.18 million t 10.50 million t 10
1980s 14.50 million t 11.41 million t 18.70 million t 10
1990s 21.44 million t 17.84 million t 25.10 million t 10
2000s 26.41 million t 22.43 million t 29.64 million t 10
2010s 28.52 million t 25.76 million t 30.96 million t 10
2020s 24.73 million t 23.92 million t 25.49 million t 4

Countries ranked near China

  1. 2 China, mainland 24.55 million t compare
  2. 3 India 18.41 million t compare
  3. 3 Türkiye 1.95 million t compare
  4. 4 USSR 7.78 million t compare
  5. 4 Viet Nam 1.71 million t compare

See the full ranking of 233 places →

More environment data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen in China?
Mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen in China was 25.49 million t in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 30.96 million t in 2013.
What is the lowest mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 712,000 t in 1961.
How does China rank for mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen?
China ranks 1st out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
Is mineral fertilizers — cropland nitrogen rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. 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 Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Mineral fertilizers — Cropland nitrogen in China. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 30 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/mineral-fertilizers-cropland-nitrogen/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Mineral fertilizers — 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 (%).