Nitrogen use efficiency in China
China: Nitrogen use efficiency was 32.0% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Nitrogen use efficiency in China, 1961–2014
Source: Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2014, nitrogen use efficiency in China stood at 32.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.2% on the previous year and up 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen use efficiency in China peaked at 71.4% in 1964 and was at its lowest, 26.6%, in 2006.
China ranks 136th of 205 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Nitrogen use efficiency in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 62.6% | — |
| 1962 | 65.6% | +4.7% |
| 1963 | 68.4% | +4.3% |
| 1964 | 71.4% | +4.4% |
| 1965 | 67.6% | -5.4% |
| 1966 | 64.7% | -4.3% |
| 1967 | 66.1% | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 58.9% | -10.8% |
| 1969 | 55.5% | -5.7% |
| 1970 | 56.5% | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 54.5% | -3.6% |
| 1972 | 48.2% | -11.6% |
| 1973 | 49.7% | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 54.1% | +8.9% |
| 1975 | 49.1% | -9.3% |
| 1976 | 44.5% | -9.3% |
| 1977 | 37.0% | -17.0% |
| 1978 | 37.1% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 35.5% | -4.3% |
| 1980 | 31.9% | -10.3% |
| 1981 | 34.4% | +7.8% |
| 1982 | 36.0% | +4.9% |
| 1983 | 36.6% | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 36.9% | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 36.1% | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 36.8% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 32.7% | -11.3% |
| 1988 | 29.7% | -9.1% |
| 1989 | 29.1% | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 31.2% | +7.4% |
| 1991 | 30.8% | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 30.0% | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 33.3% | +11.2% |
| 1994 | 32.1% | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 28.8% | -10.3% |
| 1996 | 28.7% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 30.8% | +7.3% |
| 1998 | 31.6% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 30.2% | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 30.0% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 30.3% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 27.8% | -8.3% |
| 2003 | 27.6% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 28.6% | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 27.0% | -5.9% |
| 2006 | 26.6% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 26.6% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 27.9% | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 27.2% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 27.9% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 29.1% | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 29.7% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 29.9% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 32.0% | +7.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 32.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 38.2%, 84% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- China's 32.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 44.5%, 72% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 64.5% | 55.5% | 71.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | 46.6% | 35.5% | 56.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 34.0% | 29.1% | 36.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.8% | 28.7% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.0% | 26.6% | 30.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.7% | 27.9% | 32.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen use efficiency in China?
- Nitrogen use efficiency in China was 32.0% in 2014, according to Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest nitrogen use efficiency recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 71.4% in 1964.
- What is the lowest nitrogen use efficiency recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.6% in 2006.
- How does China rank for nitrogen use efficiency?
- China ranks 136th out of 205 countries with data for 2014.
- Is nitrogen use efficiency rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Nitrogen use efficiency. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is the ratio between nitrogen inputs and output. A NUE of 40% means that only 40% of nitrogen inputs are converted into nitrogen in the form of crops.