Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per area of cropland in South Africa
South Africa: Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per area of cropland was 46.41 kg/ha in 2024. ▲ Rising
Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per area of cropland in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kg/ha.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per area of cropland in South Africa is 46.41 kg/ha, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 10.7% on the previous year and up 62.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per area of cropland in South Africa peaked at 46.9 kg/ha in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.02 kg/ha, in 1961.
That places South Africa 87th out of 195 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per area of cropland in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kg/ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.02 kg/ha | — |
| 1962 | 5.2 kg/ha | +29.4% |
| 1963 | 6.22 kg/ha | +19.6% |
| 1964 | 6.78 kg/ha | +9.0% |
| 1965 | 7.14 kg/ha | +5.3% |
| 1966 | 7.09 kg/ha | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 9.47 kg/ha | +33.6% |
| 1968 | 10.39 kg/ha | +9.7% |
| 1969 | 10.81 kg/ha | +4.0% |
| 1970 | 13.01 kg/ha | +20.4% |
| 1971 | 14.99 kg/ha | +15.2% |
| 1972 | 18.18 kg/ha | +21.3% |
| 1973 | 16.58 kg/ha | -8.8% |
| 1974 | 16.5 kg/ha | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 20.44 kg/ha | +23.9% |
| 1976 | 22.6 kg/ha | +10.6% |
| 1977 | 24.52 kg/ha | +8.5% |
| 1978 | 27.03 kg/ha | +10.2% |
| 1979 | 28.53 kg/ha | +5.5% |
| 1980 | 33.22 kg/ha | +16.4% |
| 1981 | 37.62 kg/ha | +13.2% |
| 1982 | 33.85 kg/ha | -10.0% |
| 1983 | 26.16 kg/ha | -22.7% |
| 1984 | 29.09 kg/ha | +11.2% |
| 1985 | 26.95 kg/ha | -7.4% |
| 1986 | 26.02 kg/ha | -3.5% |
| 1987 | 22.99 kg/ha | -11.6% |
| 1988 | 26.57 kg/ha | +15.6% |
| 1989 | 25.98 kg/ha | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 25.94 kg/ha | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 24.41 kg/ha | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 24.25 kg/ha | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 26.97 kg/ha | +11.2% |
| 1994 | 24.53 kg/ha | -9.0% |
| 1995 | 25.14 kg/ha | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 26.05 kg/ha | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 25.95 kg/ha | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 25.99 kg/ha | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 26.31 kg/ha | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 26.37 kg/ha | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 25.11 kg/ha | -4.8% |
| 2002 | 30.45 kg/ha | +21.3% |
| 2003 | 27.05 kg/ha | -11.2% |
| 2004 | 28.13 kg/ha | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 23.06 kg/ha | -18.0% |
| 2006 | 29.77 kg/ha | +29.1% |
| 2007 | 30.51 kg/ha | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 28.95 kg/ha | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 28.51 kg/ha | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 27.42 kg/ha | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 30.3 kg/ha | +10.5% |
| 2012 | 30.81 kg/ha | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 29.29 kg/ha | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 28.64 kg/ha | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 25.88 kg/ha | -9.6% |
| 2016 | 23.71 kg/ha | -8.4% |
| 2017 | 34.08 kg/ha | +43.7% |
| 2018 | 36.83 kg/ha | +8.1% |
| 2019 | 38.8 kg/ha | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 42.66 kg/ha | +9.9% |
| 2021 | 46.9 kg/ha | +9.9% |
| 2022 | 40.18 kg/ha | -14.3% |
| 2023 | 41.91 kg/ha | +4.3% |
| 2024 | 46.41 kg/ha | +10.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.46 kg/ha | 4.02 kg/ha | 10.81 kg/ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 20.24 kg/ha | 13.01 kg/ha | 28.53 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.84 kg/ha | 22.99 kg/ha | 37.62 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.55 kg/ha | 24.25 kg/ha | 26.97 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.79 kg/ha | 23.06 kg/ha | 30.51 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.58 kg/ha | 23.71 kg/ha | 38.8 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.61 kg/ha | 40.18 kg/ha | 46.9 kg/ha | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 20.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.012 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per area of cropland in South Africa?
- Nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per area of cropland in South Africa was 46.41 kg/ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per area of cropland recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 46.9 kg/ha in 2021.
- What is the lowest nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per area of cropland recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.02 kg/ha in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per area of cropland?
- South Africa ranks 87th out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per area of cropland rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per area of cropland. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Fertilizers by Nutrient dataset contains information on the totals in nutrients for Production, Trade and Agriculture Use of inorganic (chemical or mineral) fertilizers. The data are provided for the three primary plant nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (expressed as P2O5) and potassium (expressed as K2O). Both straight and compound fertilizers are included. Methodological details can be found at: https://files-faostat.fao.org/production/RFN/RFN_EN_README.pdf