Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per capita in New Zealand
New Zealand: Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per capita was 74.22 kg/cap in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per capita in New Zealand, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kg/cap.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per capita in New Zealand is 74.22 kg/cap, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 4.3% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per capita in New Zealand peaked at 93.45 kg/cap in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1.39 kg/cap, in 1962.
That places New Zealand 4th out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per capita in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | kg/cap | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.75 kg/cap | — |
| 1962 | 1.39 kg/cap | -20.6% |
| 1963 | 1.58 kg/cap | +13.7% |
| 1964 | 2.28 kg/cap | +44.3% |
| 1965 | 2.49 kg/cap | +9.2% |
| 1966 | 2.56 kg/cap | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 1.8 kg/cap | -29.7% |
| 1968 | 2.87 kg/cap | +59.4% |
| 1969 | 3.53 kg/cap | +23.0% |
| 1970 | 2.81 kg/cap | -20.4% |
| 1971 | 3.45 kg/cap | +22.8% |
| 1972 | 10.89 kg/cap | +215.7% |
| 1973 | 10.89 kg/cap | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 5.87 kg/cap | -46.1% |
| 1975 | 3.33 kg/cap | -43.3% |
| 1976 | 6.43 kg/cap | +93.1% |
| 1977 | 6.44 kg/cap | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 7.92 kg/cap | +23.0% |
| 1979 | 7.1 kg/cap | -10.4% |
| 1980 | 6.45 kg/cap | -9.2% |
| 1981 | 6.87 kg/cap | +6.5% |
| 1982 | 9.47 kg/cap | +37.8% |
| 1983 | 10.29 kg/cap | +8.7% |
| 1984 | 12.31 kg/cap | +19.6% |
| 1985 | 9.79 kg/cap | -20.5% |
| 1986 | 8.23 kg/cap | -15.9% |
| 1987 | 11.15 kg/cap | +35.5% |
| 1988 | 6.18 kg/cap | -44.6% |
| 1989 | 6.66 kg/cap | +7.8% |
| 1990 | 13.48 kg/cap | +102.4% |
| 1991 | 18.53 kg/cap | +37.5% |
| 1992 | 25.56 kg/cap | +37.9% |
| 1993 | 29.59 kg/cap | +15.8% |
| 1994 | 34.69 kg/cap | +17.2% |
| 1995 | 42.32 kg/cap | +22.0% |
| 1996 | 37.54 kg/cap | -11.3% |
| 1997 | 36.78 kg/cap | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 40.27 kg/cap | +9.5% |
| 1999 | 46.93 kg/cap | +16.5% |
| 2000 | 59.81 kg/cap | +27.4% |
| 2001 | 69.12 kg/cap | +15.6% |
| 2002 | 70.61 kg/cap | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 80.3 kg/cap | +13.7% |
| 2004 | 85.21 kg/cap | +6.1% |
| 2005 | 85.85 kg/cap | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 74.13 kg/cap | -13.7% |
| 2007 | 73.88 kg/cap | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 76.96 kg/cap | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 69 kg/cap | -10.3% |
| 2010 | 78.43 kg/cap | +13.7% |
| 2011 | 83.74 kg/cap | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 82.28 kg/cap | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 83.07 kg/cap | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 89.54 kg/cap | +7.8% |
| 2015 | 92.98 kg/cap | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 91.63 kg/cap | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 92.05 kg/cap | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 93.45 kg/cap | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 90.59 kg/cap | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 92.7 kg/cap | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 86.54 kg/cap | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 77.75 kg/cap | -10.2% |
| 2023 | 71.14 kg/cap | -8.5% |
| 2024 | 74.22 kg/cap | +4.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 74.22 kg/cap is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.83 kg/cap, 6.9× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 74.22 kg/cap is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.46 kg/cap, 30.1× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per capita in New Zealand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +215.7% | 3.45 kg/cap | 10.89 kg/cap |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.25 kg/cap | 1.39 kg/cap | 3.53 kg/cap | 9 |
| 1970s | 6.51 kg/cap | 2.81 kg/cap | 10.89 kg/cap | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.74 kg/cap | 6.18 kg/cap | 12.31 kg/cap | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.57 kg/cap | 13.48 kg/cap | 46.93 kg/cap | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.49 kg/cap | 59.81 kg/cap | 85.85 kg/cap | 10 |
| 2010s | 87.78 kg/cap | 78.43 kg/cap | 93.45 kg/cap | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.47 kg/cap | 71.14 kg/cap | 92.7 kg/cap | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 1 Australia 103.04 kg/cap compare
- 1 Türkiye 21.91 kg/cap compare
- 2 Republic of Moldova 18.85 kg/cap compare
- 2 Australia and New Zealand 98.34 kg/cap compare
- 3 Canada 80.8 kg/cap compare
- 3 Viet Nam 17.47 kg/cap compare
- 5 Lao People's Democratic Republic 13.25 kg/cap compare
- 5 Turkmenistan 68.13 kg/cap compare
- 6 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 9.86 kg/cap compare
- 6 Uruguay 66.01 kg/cap compare
- 7 Ireland 59.07 kg/cap compare
- 7 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 4.05 kg/cap compare
More environment data for New Zealand
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2131 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.69 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.379 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0.1365 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.474 % 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 -0.9337 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per capita in New Zealand?
- Nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per capita in New Zealand was 74.22 kg/cap in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per capita recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 93.45 kg/cap in 2018.
- What is the lowest nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per capita recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.39 kg/cap in 1962.
- How does New Zealand rank for nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per capita?
- New Zealand ranks 4th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is nutrient nitrogen n (total) — use per capita rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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 capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
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