Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen in China
China: Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen was 20.36 million t in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.
Analysis
China recorded 20.36 million t for nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and down 26.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen in China peaked at 28.06 million t in 2009 and was at its lowest, 2.03 million t, in 1963.
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.
Nutrient balance — Cropland nitrogen in China, year by year
| Year | t | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.11 million t | — |
| 1962 | 2.14 million t | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 2.03 million t | -5.3% |
| 1964 | 2.11 million t | +3.8% |
| 1965 | 2.37 million t | +12.8% |
| 1966 | 2.83 million t | +19.3% |
| 1967 | 2.42 million t | -14.8% |
| 1968 | 2.87 million t | +18.8% |
| 1969 | 3.26 million t | +13.8% |
| 1970 | 3.51 million t | +7.6% |
| 1971 | 3.65 million t | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 4.41 million t | +20.9% |
| 1973 | 4.57 million t | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 3.85 million t | -15.9% |
| 1975 | 4.93 million t | +28.1% |
| 1976 | 5.34 million t | +8.4% |
| 1977 | 7.62 million t | +42.7% |
| 1978 | 8.84 million t | +16.0% |
| 1979 | 10.02 million t | +13.4% |
| 1980 | 11.76 million t | +17.3% |
| 1981 | 10.97 million t | -6.7% |
| 1982 | 11.12 million t | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 12.02 million t | +8.1% |
| 1984 | 12.99 million t | +8.0% |
| 1985 | 12.47 million t | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 12.35 million t | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 15.61 million t | +26.3% |
| 1988 | 17.55 million t | +12.5% |
| 1989 | 17.93 million t | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 17.74 million t | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 18.29 million t | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 18.75 million t | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 16.66 million t | -11.1% |
| 1994 | 18.18 million t | +9.1% |
| 1995 | 22.76 million t | +25.2% |
| 1996 | 24.16 million t | +6.2% |
| 1997 | 21.67 million t | -10.3% |
| 1998 | 21.70 million t | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 23.19 million t | +6.9% |
| 2000 | 22.16 million t | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 22.19 million t | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 25.18 million t | +13.5% |
| 2003 | 25.20 million t | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 25.90 million t | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 26.25 million t | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 27.43 million t | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 26.79 million t | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 25.97 million t | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 28.06 million t | +8.1% |
| 2010 | 26.63 million t | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 27.44 million t | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 27.64 million t | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 27.57 million t | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 25.41 million t | -7.9% |
| 2015 | 25.32 million t | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 23.92 million t | -5.5% |
| 2017 | 21.60 million t | -9.7% |
| 2018 | 20.99 million t | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 20.30 million t | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 19.83 million t | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 18.89 million t | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 19.77 million t | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 20.36 million t | +3.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 20.36 million t is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,914 t, 851.4× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- China's 20.36 million t is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,537 t, 13250.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.46 million t | 2.03 million t | 3.26 million t | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.67 million t | 3.51 million t | 10.02 million t | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.48 million t | 10.97 million t | 17.93 million t | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.31 million t | 16.66 million t | 24.16 million t | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.51 million t | 22.16 million t | 28.06 million t | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.68 million t | 20.30 million t | 27.64 million t | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.71 million t | 18.89 million t | 20.36 million t | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
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 in China?
- Nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen in China was 20.36 million t in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 28.06 million t in 2009.
- What is the lowest nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.03 million t in 1963.
- How does China rank for nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen?
- China ranks 1st out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nutrient balance — cropland nitrogen rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.2%. 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. 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 (%).