How have things changed? in United States
United States: How have things changed? was 4.68 million metric tons in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
4.68 million metric tons
Change on year
down 9.1%
World rank
8th
of 215 countries
All-time high
6.24 million metric tons
in 1994
All-time low
2.51 million metric tons
in 1967
Years of data
60
1965–2024
How have things changed? in United States, 1965–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in metric tons.
Analysis
In 2024, how have things changed? in United States stood at 4.68 million metric tons.
That represents a change of down 9.1% on the previous year and down 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, how have things changed? in United States peaked at 6.24 million metric tons in 1994 and was at its lowest, 2.51 million metric tons, in 1967.
That places United States 8th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
How have things changed? in United States, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 2.84 million metric tons | — |
| 1966 | 2.61 million metric tons | -8.0% |
| 1967 | 2.51 million metric tons | -4.0% |
| 1968 | 2.60 million metric tons | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 2.59 million metric tons | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 3.01 million metric tons | +15.8% |
| 1971 | 3.08 million metric tons | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 2.98 million metric tons | -3.2% |
| 1973 | 3.01 million metric tons | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 3.09 million metric tons | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 3.09 million metric tons | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 3.30 million metric tons | +6.5% |
| 1977 | 3.24 million metric tons | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 3.66 million metric tons | +13.0% |
| 1979 | 3.75 million metric tons | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 3.90 million metric tons | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 3.96 million metric tons | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 4.24 million metric tons | +7.2% |
| 1983 | 4.46 million metric tons | +5.1% |
| 1984 | 5.09 million metric tons | +14.3% |
| 1985 | 5.07 million metric tons | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 5.28 million metric tons | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 6.13 million metric tons | +16.0% |
| 1988 | 6.11 million metric tons | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 5.95 million metric tons | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 6.10 million metric tons | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 5.74 million metric tons | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 5.89 million metric tons | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 6.23 million metric tons | +5.9% |
| 1994 | 6.24 million metric tons | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 5.83 million metric tons | -6.6% |
| 1996 | 5.66 million metric tons | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 5.82 million metric tons | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 5.50 million metric tons | -5.5% |
| 1999 | 5.68 million metric tons | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 5.50 million metric tons | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 5.76 million metric tons | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 5.83 million metric tons | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 5.89 million metric tons | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 5.97 million metric tons | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 5.83 million metric tons | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 5.83 million metric tons | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 5.72 million metric tons | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 5.11 million metric tons | -10.6% |
| 2009 | 5.01 million metric tons | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 5.26 million metric tons | +5.1% |
| 2011 | 5.84 million metric tons | +11.0% |
| 2012 | 5.82 million metric tons | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 5.96 million metric tons | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 5.84 million metric tons | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 5.85 million metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 5.84 million metric tons | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 5.93 million metric tons | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 5.87 million metric tons | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 5.81 million metric tons | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 5.14 million metric tons | -11.5% |
| 2021 | 5.19 million metric tons | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 5.18 million metric tons | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 5.15 million metric tons | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 4.68 million metric tons | -9.1% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 4.68 million metric tons is above the median for high income countries, which is 19,758 metric tons, 236.9× the median. (85 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.63 million metric tons | 2.51 million metric tons | 2.84 million metric tons | 5 |
| 1970s | 3.22 million metric tons | 2.98 million metric tons | 3.75 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.02 million metric tons | 3.90 million metric tons | 6.13 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.87 million metric tons | 5.50 million metric tons | 6.24 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.64 million metric tons | 5.01 million metric tons | 5.97 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.80 million metric tons | 5.26 million metric tons | 5.96 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.07 million metric tons | 4.68 million metric tons | 5.19 million metric tons | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is how have things changed? in United States?
- How have things changed? in United States was 4.68 million metric tons in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest how have things changed? recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 6.24 million metric tons in 1994.
- What is the lowest how have things changed? recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.51 million metric tons in 1967.
- How does United States rank for how have things changed??
- United States ranks 8th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is how have things changed? rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of How have things changed?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Change captured by a range of socioeconomic and environmental indicators, measured relative to the first year.