Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in China
China: Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen per unit area was 158.62 kg/ha in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kg/ha.
Analysis
China recorded 158.62 kg/ha for nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen per unit area in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and down 23.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen per unit area in China peaked at 207.02 kg/ha in 2013 and was at its lowest, 19.34 kg/ha, in 1963.
That places China 23rd 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.
Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in China, year by year
| Year | kg/ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 20.04 kg/ha | — |
| 1962 | 20.39 kg/ha | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 19.34 kg/ha | -5.2% |
| 1964 | 20.1 kg/ha | +4.0% |
| 1965 | 22.72 kg/ha | +13.0% |
| 1966 | 27.22 kg/ha | +19.8% |
| 1967 | 23.29 kg/ha | -14.5% |
| 1968 | 27.77 kg/ha | +19.2% |
| 1969 | 31.72 kg/ha | +14.2% |
| 1970 | 34.26 kg/ha | +8.0% |
| 1971 | 35.69 kg/ha | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 43.3 kg/ha | +21.3% |
| 1973 | 45.08 kg/ha | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 37.69 kg/ha | -16.4% |
| 1975 | 48.96 kg/ha | +29.9% |
| 1976 | 53.12 kg/ha | +8.5% |
| 1977 | 75.9 kg/ha | +42.9% |
| 1978 | 88.14 kg/ha | +16.1% |
| 1979 | 99.97 kg/ha | +13.4% |
| 1980 | 117.31 kg/ha | +17.3% |
| 1981 | 108.7 kg/ha | -7.3% |
| 1982 | 105.05 kg/ha | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 107.63 kg/ha | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 109.41 kg/ha | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 99.03 kg/ha | -9.5% |
| 1986 | 96.96 kg/ha | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 121.84 kg/ha | +25.7% |
| 1988 | 135.96 kg/ha | +11.6% |
| 1989 | 137.28 kg/ha | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 134.18 kg/ha | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 137.23 kg/ha | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 142.47 kg/ha | +3.8% |
| 1993 | 127.27 kg/ha | -10.7% |
| 1994 | 138.9 kg/ha | +9.1% |
| 1995 | 173.89 kg/ha | +25.2% |
| 1996 | 184.58 kg/ha | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 165.52 kg/ha | -10.3% |
| 1998 | 165.74 kg/ha | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 177.13 kg/ha | +6.9% |
| 2000 | 169.3 kg/ha | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 168.76 kg/ha | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 190.66 kg/ha | +13.0% |
| 2003 | 189.97 kg/ha | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 194.39 kg/ha | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 196.08 kg/ha | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 204.01 kg/ha | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 198.41 kg/ha | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 191.47 kg/ha | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 206.04 kg/ha | +7.6% |
| 2010 | 196.63 kg/ha | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 203.72 kg/ha | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 206.4 kg/ha | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 207.02 kg/ha | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 191.85 kg/ha | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 192.31 kg/ha | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 182.74 kg/ha | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 165.94 kg/ha | -9.2% |
| 2018 | 162.17 kg/ha | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 157.75 kg/ha | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 154.23 kg/ha | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 147.16 kg/ha | -4.6% |
| 2022 | 153.98 kg/ha | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 158.62 kg/ha | +3.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 158.62 kg/ha is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36.39 kg/ha, 4.4× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- China's 158.62 kg/ha is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 20.31 kg/ha, 7.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.62 kg/ha | 19.34 kg/ha | 31.72 kg/ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 56.21 kg/ha | 34.26 kg/ha | 99.97 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 113.92 kg/ha | 96.96 kg/ha | 137.28 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 154.69 kg/ha | 127.27 kg/ha | 184.58 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 190.91 kg/ha | 168.76 kg/ha | 206.04 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 186.65 kg/ha | 157.75 kg/ha | 207.02 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 153.5 kg/ha | 147.16 kg/ha | 158.62 kg/ha | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 20 Bangladesh 168.08 kg/ha compare
- 21 Malta 161.75 kg/ha compare
- 22 Costa Rica 161.15 kg/ha compare
- 24 Netherlands (Kingdom of the) 157.66 kg/ha compare
- 25 Norway 157.13 kg/ha compare
- 26 Switzerland 152.71 kg/ha compare
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % 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 -0.2517 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen per unit area in China?
- Nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen per unit area in China was 158.62 kg/ha in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen per unit area recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 207.02 kg/ha in 2013.
- What is the lowest nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen per unit area recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.34 kg/ha in 1963.
- How does China rank for nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen per unit area?
- China ranks 23rd out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen per unit area rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.4%. 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 Nutrient balance — 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 (%).