Nutrient phosphate P2O5 (total) — Use per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Nutrient phosphate P2O5 (total) — Use per capita was 7.67 kg/cap in 2024. ▼ Falling
Nutrient phosphate P2O5 (total) — Use per capita in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kg/cap.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nutrient phosphate p2o5 (total) — use per capita in South Africa is 7.67 kg/cap, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 15.9% on the previous year and up 61.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nutrient phosphate p2o5 (total) — use per capita in South Africa peaked at 17.91 kg/cap in 1981 and was at its lowest, 3.22 kg/cap, in 2005.
South Africa ranks 20th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Nutrient phosphate P2O5 (total) — Use per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kg/cap | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 7.51 kg/cap | — |
| 1962 | 8.63 kg/cap | +14.9% |
| 1963 | 9.19 kg/cap | +6.5% |
| 1964 | 9.72 kg/cap | +5.8% |
| 1965 | 9.95 kg/cap | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 12.44 kg/cap | +25.0% |
| 1967 | 12.55 kg/cap | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 12.73 kg/cap | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 12.47 kg/cap | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 12.61 kg/cap | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 13.33 kg/cap | +5.7% |
| 1972 | 13.85 kg/cap | +3.9% |
| 1973 | 13.9 kg/cap | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 14.37 kg/cap | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 14.01 kg/cap | -2.5% |
| 1976 | 13.88 kg/cap | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 14.38 kg/cap | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 14.6 kg/cap | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 15.3 kg/cap | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 15.53 kg/cap | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 17.91 kg/cap | +15.3% |
| 1982 | 15.94 kg/cap | -11.0% |
| 1983 | 11.84 kg/cap | -25.7% |
| 1984 | 12.19 kg/cap | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 10.33 kg/cap | -15.3% |
| 1986 | 9.2 kg/cap | -10.9% |
| 1987 | 7.35 kg/cap | -20.1% |
| 1988 | 8.02 kg/cap | +9.1% |
| 1989 | 7.09 kg/cap | -11.6% |
| 1990 | 6.64 kg/cap | -6.3% |
| 1991 | 6.2 kg/cap | -6.6% |
| 1992 | 5.73 kg/cap | -7.6% |
| 1993 | 6.96 kg/cap | +21.5% |
| 1994 | 5.61 kg/cap | -19.4% |
| 1995 | 5.39 kg/cap | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 5.67 kg/cap | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 4.93 kg/cap | -13.1% |
| 1998 | 4.72 kg/cap | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 4.86 kg/cap | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 3.97 kg/cap | -18.3% |
| 2001 | 4.95 kg/cap | +24.7% |
| 2002 | 4.68 kg/cap | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 4.14 kg/cap | -11.5% |
| 2004 | 4.65 kg/cap | +12.3% |
| 2005 | 3.22 kg/cap | -30.8% |
| 2006 | 4.08 kg/cap | +26.7% |
| 2007 | 3.81 kg/cap | -6.6% |
| 2008 | 3.62 kg/cap | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 3.5 kg/cap | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 3.29 kg/cap | -6.0% |
| 2011 | 3.51 kg/cap | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 3.53 kg/cap | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 4.9 kg/cap | +38.8% |
| 2014 | 4.75 kg/cap | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 4.64 kg/cap | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 4.1 kg/cap | -11.6% |
| 2017 | 4.65 kg/cap | +13.4% |
| 2018 | 5.41 kg/cap | +16.3% |
| 2019 | 5.46 kg/cap | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 6.37 kg/cap | +16.7% |
| 2021 | 7.27 kg/cap | +14.1% |
| 2022 | 6.86 kg/cap | -5.6% |
| 2023 | 6.62 kg/cap | -3.5% |
| 2024 | 7.67 kg/cap | +15.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 7.67 kg/cap is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.75 kg/cap, 4.4× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 7.67 kg/cap is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.39 kg/cap, 19.7× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.58 kg/cap | 7.51 kg/cap | 12.73 kg/cap | 9 |
| 1970s | 14.02 kg/cap | 12.61 kg/cap | 15.3 kg/cap | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.54 kg/cap | 7.09 kg/cap | 17.91 kg/cap | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.67 kg/cap | 4.72 kg/cap | 6.96 kg/cap | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.06 kg/cap | 3.22 kg/cap | 4.95 kg/cap | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.42 kg/cap | 3.29 kg/cap | 5.46 kg/cap | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.96 kg/cap | 6.37 kg/cap | 7.67 kg/cap | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 17 Democratic Republic of the Congo 0.04 kg/cap compare
- 17 Serbia and Montenegro 9.7 kg/cap compare
- 18 Iceland 9.04 kg/cap compare
- 18 Micronesia (Federated States of) 0 kg/cap compare
- 18 Micronesia 0 kg/cap compare
- 19 Hungary 7.98 kg/cap compare
- 21 Croatia 7.49 kg/cap compare
- 22 Spain 6.62 kg/cap compare
- 23 China, mainland 6.51 kg/cap compare
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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.59 % 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 0.2953 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nutrient phosphate p2o5 (total) — use per capita in South Africa?
- Nutrient phosphate p2o5 (total) — use per capita in South Africa was 7.67 kg/cap in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest nutrient phosphate p2o5 (total) — use per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 17.91 kg/cap in 1981.
- What is the lowest nutrient phosphate p2o5 (total) — use per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.22 kg/cap in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for nutrient phosphate p2o5 (total) — use per capita?
- South Africa ranks 20th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is nutrient phosphate p2o5 (total) — use per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 phosphate P2O5 (total) — Use per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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