This paper presents a global database of country-level cropland nutrient budgets for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) from 1961 to 2020, disseminated in FAOSTAT. The database aims to provide a comprehensive reference for monitoring agricultural productivity and sustainability. It covers 205 countries and territories, highlighting wide regional variations in nutrient use and efficiency. Key findings include: - **Global Trends**: The average N balance on global cropland has remained relatively stable at about 50-55 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ despite increasing N inputs. Regional trends show N surpluses ranging from 10 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in Africa to over 90 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in Asia. - **Nutrient Use Efficiency**: Average global cropland N use efficiency decreased from about 59% in 1961 to a low of 43% in 1988 but has since risen to 55%. - **Phosphorus and Potassium Deficits**: Phosphorus deficits are mainly found in Africa, while potassium deficits occur in Africa and the Americas. - **Improvements**: The study introduces improvements in key nutrient coefficients affecting nutrient budgets and use efficiency estimates, such as nutrient removal in crop products, manure nutrient content, atmospheric deposition, and biological N fixation rates. - **Future Research Directions**: The authors discuss future research directions, emphasizing the need to align statistical methods and improve data availability, particularly for forage and fodder crops, and manure management. The database is available for download from FAOSTAT and the authors' Zenodo repository, with plans for annual updates and continuous methodological improvements.This paper presents a global database of country-level cropland nutrient budgets for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) from 1961 to 2020, disseminated in FAOSTAT. The database aims to provide a comprehensive reference for monitoring agricultural productivity and sustainability. It covers 205 countries and territories, highlighting wide regional variations in nutrient use and efficiency. Key findings include: - **Global Trends**: The average N balance on global cropland has remained relatively stable at about 50-55 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ despite increasing N inputs. Regional trends show N surpluses ranging from 10 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in Africa to over 90 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in Asia. - **Nutrient Use Efficiency**: Average global cropland N use efficiency decreased from about 59% in 1961 to a low of 43% in 1988 but has since risen to 55%. - **Phosphorus and Potassium Deficits**: Phosphorus deficits are mainly found in Africa, while potassium deficits occur in Africa and the Americas. - **Improvements**: The study introduces improvements in key nutrient coefficients affecting nutrient budgets and use efficiency estimates, such as nutrient removal in crop products, manure nutrient content, atmospheric deposition, and biological N fixation rates. - **Future Research Directions**: The authors discuss future research directions, emphasizing the need to align statistical methods and improve data availability, particularly for forage and fodder crops, and manure management. The database is available for download from FAOSTAT and the authors' Zenodo repository, with plans for annual updates and continuous methodological improvements.