Nitrogen use efficiency in Portugal

Portugal: Nitrogen use efficiency was 19.2% in 2014. ▲ Rising

Latest (2014)
19.2%
Change on year
down 47.7%
World rank
165th
of 205 countries
All-time high
43.2%
in 2006
All-time low
14.7%
in 1981
Years of data
54
1961–2014

Nitrogen use efficiency in Portugal, 1961–2014

10203040196119872014

Source: Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for nitrogen use efficiency in Portugal is 19.2%, measured in 2014.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 47.7% on the previous year and down 47.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, nitrogen use efficiency in Portugal peaked at 43.2% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 14.7%, in 1981.

Portugal ranks 165th of 205 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.

Nitrogen use efficiency in Portugal, year by year

Annual values for Nitrogen use efficiency in Portugal, 1961 to 2014.
Year % Change
1961 33.4%
1962 42.5% +27.4%
1963 33.5% -21.2%
1964 26.5% -21.0%
1965 31.8% +20.3%
1966 29.6% -6.8%
1967 31.1% +4.9%
1968 32.4% +4.3%
1969 25.0% -23.0%
1970 33.5% +34.1%
1971 33.2% -0.8%
1972 23.6% -29.0%
1973 22.8% -3.3%
1974 23.8% +4.4%
1975 22.2% -6.8%
1976 22.9% +3.2%
1977 14.7% -35.7%
1978 16.7% +13.5%
1979 16.4% -1.8%
1980 18.9% +14.9%
1981 14.7% -22.2%
1982 18.4% +25.0%
1983 17.0% -7.5%
1984 24.2% +42.1%
1985 32.1% +32.5%
1986 33.3% +4.0%
1987 34.8% +4.4%
1988 30.4% -12.6%
1989 34.7% +14.1%
1990 31.6% -9.1%
1991 35.2% +11.6%
1992 31.5% -10.6%
1993 34.5% +9.6%
1994 37.8% +9.5%
1995 35.5% -6.0%
1996 38.3% +7.9%
1997 38.4% +0.3%
1998 36.8% -4.2%
1999 40.3% +9.6%
2000 40.8% +1.2%
2001 39.4% -3.4%
2002 32.1% -18.5%
2003 37.6% +16.9%
2004 36.8% -2.0%
2005 35.6% -3.3%
2006 43.2% +21.2%
2007 36.6% -15.3%
2008 39.2% +7.3%
2009 39.0% -0.7%
2010 37.6% -3.5%
2011 40.1% +6.6%
2012 38.0% -5.1%
2013 36.7% -3.5%
2014 19.2% -47.7%

Portugal compared with similar countries

  • Portugal's 19.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 36.0%, 53% of the median. (69 countries reporting)
  • Portugal's 19.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54.4%, 35% of the median. (49 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 31.8% 25.0% 42.5% 9
1970s 23.0% 14.7% 33.5% 10
1980s 25.9% 14.7% 34.8% 10
1990s 36.0% 31.5% 40.3% 10
2000s 38.0% 32.1% 43.2% 10
2010s 34.3% 19.2% 40.1% 5

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 162 Dominican Republic 20.2% compare
  2. 163 Sri Lanka 20.1% compare
  3. 164 Bosnia and Herzegovina 19.2% compare
  4. 166 Luxembourg 18.3% compare
  5. 167 Venezuela 18.1% compare
  6. 168 Mauritania 17.4% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More reference data data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is nitrogen use efficiency in Portugal?
Nitrogen use efficiency in Portugal was 19.2% in 2014, according to Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest nitrogen use efficiency recorded in Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 43.2% in 2006.
What is the lowest nitrogen use efficiency recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 14.7% in 1981.
How does Portugal rank for nitrogen use efficiency?
Portugal ranks 165th out of 205 countries with data for 2014.
Is nitrogen use efficiency rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is down 47.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Portugal 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.

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Nitrogen use efficiency in Portugal. Statizoid, drawing on Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/nitrogen-use-efficiency/portugal/

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About this data

Indicator
Nitrogen use efficiency
Unit
%
Source
Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
205 places, 10,031 data points, 1961–2014
Last refreshed

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.