China vs South Africa: Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires
China
44.55 million tonnes
in 2026
South Africa
43.93 million tonnes
in 2026
China rank
20th
South Africa rank
21st
Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires over time
- China
- South Africa
How they compare
China currently reports 44.55 million tonnes against 43.93 million tonnes in South Africa, a difference of 620,200 tonnes.
The two have swapped places 12 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2003 it was China ahead.
China ranks 20th and South Africa ranks 21st of 248 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 80.17 million tonnes | 62.57 million tonnes | 17.61 million tonnes | China |
| 2010s | 64.51 million tonnes | 62.04 million tonnes | 2.48 million tonnes | China |
| 2020s | 58.69 million tonnes | 55.40 million tonnes | 3.29 million tonnes | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual co₂ emissions from wildfires, China or South Africa?
- China, at 44.55 million tonnes against 43.93 million tonnes in South Africa as of 2026.
- What is the difference in annual co₂ emissions from wildfires between China and South Africa?
- 620,200 tonnes, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and South Africa?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2003 to 2026.
- How do China and South Africa rank globally for annual co₂ emissions from wildfires?
- China ranks 20th and South Africa ranks 21st of 248 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Carbon dioxide released by wildfires in tonnes. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.