Nutrient balance — Cropland phosphorus in Lesotho
Lesotho: Nutrient balance — Cropland phosphorus was 43.5 t in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nutrient balance — Cropland phosphorus in Lesotho, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nutrient balance — cropland phosphorus in Lesotho is 43.5 t, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 77.9% on the previous year and down 66.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nutrient balance — cropland phosphorus in Lesotho peaked at 1,918 t in 1991 and was at its lowest, -332.6 t, in 1961.
Lesotho ranks 118th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nutrient balance — Cropland phosphorus in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | t | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -332.6 t | — |
| 1962 | -204.04 t | -38.7% |
| 1963 | -247.81 t | +21.5% |
| 1964 | -206.62 t | -16.6% |
| 1965 | -113.83 t | -44.9% |
| 1966 | -126.93 t | +11.5% |
| 1967 | -15.81 t | -87.5% |
| 1968 | -167.34 t | +958.7% |
| 1969 | -82.04 t | -51.0% |
| 1970 | -7.92 t | -90.4% |
| 1971 | 225.38 t | -2947.5% |
| 1972 | 419.49 t | +86.1% |
| 1973 | 312.12 t | -25.6% |
| 1974 | -152.16 t | -148.8% |
| 1975 | 429.9 t | -382.5% |
| 1976 | 458.02 t | +6.5% |
| 1977 | 232.29 t | -49.3% |
| 1978 | 1,167 t | +402.2% |
| 1979 | 1,388 t | +19.0% |
| 1980 | 1,573 t | +13.4% |
| 1981 | 1,601 t | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 1,755 t | +9.6% |
| 1983 | 1,748 t | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 1,704 t | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 1,199 t | -29.6% |
| 1986 | 1,576 t | +31.5% |
| 1987 | 1,572 t | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 1,472 t | -6.4% |
| 1989 | 1,568 t | +6.5% |
| 1990 | 1,378 t | -12.1% |
| 1991 | 1,918 t | +39.2% |
| 1992 | 1,807 t | -5.8% |
| 1993 | 1,685 t | -6.8% |
| 1994 | 512.56 t | -69.6% |
| 1995 | 1,046 t | +104.0% |
| 1996 | 417.66 t | -60.1% |
| 1997 | 599.71 t | +43.6% |
| 1998 | 733.79 t | +22.4% |
| 1999 | 807.33 t | +10.0% |
| 2000 | 1,216 t | +50.6% |
| 2001 | 1,236 t | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 419.27 t | -66.1% |
| 2003 | 271.18 t | -35.3% |
| 2004 | 463.74 t | +71.0% |
| 2005 | 774.9 t | +67.1% |
| 2006 | 955.4 t | +23.3% |
| 2007 | 1,122 t | +17.4% |
| 2008 | 411.88 t | -63.3% |
| 2009 | 407.61 t | -1.0% |
| 2010 | -35.27 t | -108.7% |
| 2011 | 143.04 t | -505.5% |
| 2012 | 194 t | +35.6% |
| 2013 | 128.81 t | -33.6% |
| 2014 | 73.8 t | -42.7% |
| 2015 | 250.33 t | +239.2% |
| 2016 | 496.33 t | +98.3% |
| 2017 | 60.48 t | -87.8% |
| 2018 | 616.86 t | +920.0% |
| 2019 | 317.9 t | -48.5% |
| 2020 | 310.27 t | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 7.22 t | -97.7% |
| 2022 | 196.81 t | +2624.6% |
| 2023 | 43.5 t | -77.9% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 43.5 t is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 87.03 t, 50% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 43.5 t is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -171.53 t. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nutrient balance — Cropland phosphorus in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +2947.5% | -7.92 t | 225.38 t |
| 2022 | +2624.6% | 7.22 t | 196.81 t |
| 1968 | -958.7% | -15.81 t | -167.34 t |
| 2018 | +920.0% | 60.48 t | 616.86 t |
| 2011 | +505.5% | -35.27 t | 143.04 t |
| 1978 | +402.2% | 232.29 t | 1,167 t |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -166.34 t | -332.6 t | -15.81 t | 9 |
| 1970s | 447.13 t | -152.16 t | 1,388 t | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,577 t | 1,199 t | 1,755 t | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,090 t | 417.66 t | 1,918 t | 10 |
| 2000s | 727.77 t | 271.18 t | 1,236 t | 10 |
| 2010s | 224.63 t | -35.27 t | 616.86 t | 10 |
| 2020s | 139.45 t | 7.22 t | 310.27 t | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 115 Bahrain 52.13 t compare
- 116 Cook Islands 51.03 t compare
- 117 Faroe Islands 48.97 t compare
- 119 Tuvalu 39.71 t compare
- 120 Antigua and Barbuda 38.8 t compare
- 121 Suriname 36.4 t compare
More environment data for Lesotho
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.284 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.783 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.521 % 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 -2.27 % 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.4197 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nutrient balance — cropland phosphorus in Lesotho?
- Nutrient balance — cropland phosphorus in Lesotho was 43.5 t in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest nutrient balance — cropland phosphorus recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1,918 t in 1991.
- What is the lowest nutrient balance — cropland phosphorus recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -332.6 t in 1961.
- How does Lesotho rank for nutrient balance — cropland phosphorus?
- Lesotho ranks 118th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nutrient balance — cropland phosphorus rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 66.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Nutrient balance — Cropland phosphorus. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
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 (%).