Nitrogen use efficiency in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Nitrogen use efficiency was 38.3% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Nitrogen use efficiency in Zimbabwe, 1961–2014
Source: Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2014, nitrogen use efficiency in Zimbabwe stood at 38.3%.
That represents a change of up 11.4% on the previous year and down 42.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen use efficiency in Zimbabwe peaked at 67.0% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 27.6%, in 1992.
That places Zimbabwe 121st 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 63.2% | — |
| 1962 | 64.5% | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 56.1% | -13.0% |
| 1964 | 42.4% | -24.4% |
| 1965 | 42.7% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 47.7% | +11.8% |
| 1967 | 58.3% | +22.2% |
| 1968 | 44.8% | -23.1% |
| 1969 | 66.4% | +48.1% |
| 1970 | 44.0% | -33.7% |
| 1971 | 49.6% | +12.6% |
| 1972 | 63.1% | +27.2% |
| 1973 | 35.6% | -43.6% |
| 1974 | 54.5% | +53.1% |
| 1975 | 49.2% | -9.6% |
| 1976 | 57.7% | +17.2% |
| 1977 | 62.1% | +7.6% |
| 1978 | 59.7% | -3.8% |
| 1979 | 49.6% | -16.9% |
| 1980 | 43.8% | -11.7% |
| 1981 | 54.9% | +25.3% |
| 1982 | 45.4% | -17.2% |
| 1983 | 35.6% | -21.7% |
| 1984 | 48.3% | +35.9% |
| 1985 | 64.5% | +33.5% |
| 1986 | 63.7% | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 47.3% | -25.7% |
| 1988 | 63.4% | +33.9% |
| 1989 | 57.8% | -8.7% |
| 1990 | 48.7% | -15.8% |
| 1991 | 48.5% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 27.6% | -43.0% |
| 1993 | 57.4% | +107.9% |
| 1994 | 54.7% | -4.8% |
| 1995 | 33.5% | -38.8% |
| 1996 | 58.9% | +75.9% |
| 1997 | 56.4% | -4.2% |
| 1998 | 48.5% | -14.0% |
| 1999 | 45.8% | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | +24.1% |
| 2001 | 49.0% | -13.9% |
| 2002 | 34.6% | -29.4% |
| 2003 | 36.9% | +6.6% |
| 2004 | 67.0% | +81.8% |
| 2005 | 44.2% | -34.1% |
| 2006 | 48.4% | +9.7% |
| 2007 | 47.9% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 46.1% | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 35.7% | -22.5% |
| 2010 | 36.1% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 35.6% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 39.0% | +9.6% |
| 2013 | 34.4% | -11.8% |
| 2014 | 38.3% | +11.4% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 38.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 55.2%, 70% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 38.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 62.2%, 62% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54.0% | 42.4% | 66.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | 52.5% | 35.6% | 63.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.5% | 35.6% | 64.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.0% | 27.6% | 58.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.7% | 34.6% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.7% | 34.4% | 39.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (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 11,077 2010 = 100 (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen use efficiency in Zimbabwe?
- Nitrogen use efficiency in Zimbabwe was 38.3% in 2014, according to Lassaletta et al. (2014) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest nitrogen use efficiency recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 67.0% in 2004.
- What is the lowest nitrogen use efficiency recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.6% in 1992.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for nitrogen use efficiency?
- Zimbabwe ranks 121st out of 205 countries with data for 2014.
- Is nitrogen use efficiency rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.