An agricultural ammonia (NH 3) emission inventory in the North China Plain (NCP) on a prefecture level for the year 2004, and a 5 × 5 km 2 resolution spatial distribution map, has been calculated for the first time. The census database from China's statistics datasets, and emission factors re-calculated by the RAINS model supported total emissions of 3071 kt NH 3–N yr −1 for the NCP, accounting for 27% of the total emissions in China. NH 3 emission from mineral fertilizer application contributed 1620 kt NH 3–N yr −1, 54% of the total emission, while livestock emissions accounted for the remaining 46% of the total emissions, including 7%, 27%, 7% and 5% from cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, and poultry, respectively. A high-resolution spatial NH 3 emissions map was developed based on 1 × 1 km land use database and aggregated to a 5 × 5 km grid resolution. The highest emission density value was 198 kg N ha −1 yr −1. The first high-resolution spatial distribution of ammonia emissions for the North China Plain showed rates up to 200 kg NH 3–N ha −1 yr −1.