Nitrogen use efficiency in Zambia
Zambia: Nitrogen use efficiency was 48.6% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Nitrogen use efficiency in Zambia, 1961–2014
Source: Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nitrogen use efficiency in Zambia is 48.6%, measured in 2014.
The figure is up 12.8% on the previous year and up 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen use efficiency in Zambia peaked at 81.2% in 1966 and was at its lowest, 18.8%, in 1992.
That places Zambia 99th out of 205 countries with data for 2014, putting it 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 77.9% | — |
| 1962 | 80.3% | +3.1% |
| 1963 | 73.2% | -8.9% |
| 1964 | 76.5% | +4.6% |
| 1965 | 78.0% | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 81.2% | +4.2% |
| 1967 | 75.8% | -6.7% |
| 1968 | 56.8% | -25.1% |
| 1969 | 62.4% | +9.9% |
| 1970 | 38.6% | -38.1% |
| 1971 | 40.5% | +4.9% |
| 1972 | 56.5% | +39.4% |
| 1973 | 45.3% | -19.8% |
| 1974 | 40.3% | -10.9% |
| 1975 | 51.7% | +28.4% |
| 1976 | 48.9% | -5.5% |
| 1977 | 44.8% | -8.4% |
| 1978 | 50.7% | +13.0% |
| 1979 | 32.1% | -36.7% |
| 1980 | 26.5% | -17.4% |
| 1981 | 26.4% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 22.2% | -16.1% |
| 1983 | 32.2% | +45.4% |
| 1984 | 38.3% | +18.6% |
| 1985 | 33.6% | -12.3% |
| 1986 | 36.1% | +7.4% |
| 1987 | 28.5% | -20.9% |
| 1988 | 50.9% | +78.5% |
| 1989 | 50.2% | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 41.3% | -17.7% |
| 1991 | 42.0% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 18.8% | -55.4% |
| 1993 | 42.9% | +128.8% |
| 1994 | 41.2% | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 34.5% | -16.3% |
| 1996 | 60.9% | +76.5% |
| 1997 | 45.7% | -24.9% |
| 1998 | 53.2% | +16.4% |
| 1999 | 75.9% | +42.6% |
| 2000 | 76.0% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 59.4% | -21.8% |
| 2002 | 34.5% | -41.9% |
| 2003 | 47.9% | +38.9% |
| 2004 | 41.3% | -13.9% |
| 2005 | 44.8% | +8.6% |
| 2006 | 51.0% | +13.9% |
| 2007 | 48.3% | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 48.5% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 54.3% | +11.8% |
| 2010 | 56.5% | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 48.3% | -14.5% |
| 2012 | 58.9% | +21.8% |
| 2013 | 43.0% | -26.9% |
| 2014 | 48.6% | +12.8% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 48.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 55.2%, 88% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 48.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 62.2%, 78% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen use efficiency in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +128.8% | 18.8% | 42.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 73.6% | 56.8% | 81.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 44.9% | 32.1% | 56.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 34.5% | 22.2% | 50.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.6% | 18.8% | 75.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.6% | 34.5% | 76.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.0% | 43.0% | 58.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen use efficiency in Zambia?
- Nitrogen use efficiency in Zambia was 48.6% in 2014, according to Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest nitrogen use efficiency recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 81.2% in 1966.
- What is the lowest nitrogen use efficiency recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.8% in 1992.
- How does Zambia rank for nitrogen use efficiency?
- Zambia ranks 99th out of 205 countries with data for 2014.
- Is nitrogen use efficiency rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.