Ethiopia vs South Africa: Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires
Ethiopia
41.96 million tonnes
in 2026
South Africa
43.93 million tonnes
in 2026
Ethiopia rank
22nd
South Africa rank
21st
Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires over time
- Ethiopia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 43.93 million tonnes against 41.96 million tonnes in Ethiopia, a difference of 1.97 million tonnes.
The two have swapped places 9 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2003 it was Ethiopia ahead.
Ethiopia ranks 22nd and South Africa ranks 21st of 248 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Ethiopia averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ethiopia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 75.67 million tonnes | 62.57 million tonnes | 13.10 million tonnes | Ethiopia |
| 2010s | 63.65 million tonnes | 62.04 million tonnes | 1.62 million tonnes | Ethiopia |
| 2020s | 43.78 million tonnes | 55.40 million tonnes | 11.62 million tonnes | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual co₂ emissions from wildfires, Ethiopia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 43.93 million tonnes against 41.96 million tonnes in Ethiopia as of 2026.
- What is the difference in annual co₂ emissions from wildfires between Ethiopia and South Africa?
- 1.97 million tonnes, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ethiopia and South Africa?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2003 to 2026.
- How do Ethiopia and South Africa rank globally for annual co₂ emissions from wildfires?
- Ethiopia ranks 22nd 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.