North Korea vs South Korea: Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires
North Korea
265,981 tonnes
in 2026
South Korea
261,986 tonnes
in 2026
North Korea rank
120th
South Korea rank
122nd
Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires over time
- North Korea
- South Korea
How they compare
North Korea currently reports 265,981 tonnes against 261,986 tonnes in South Korea, a difference of 3,995 tonnes.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2003 it was North Korea ahead.
North Korea ranks 120th and South Korea ranks 122nd of 248 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, North Korea averaged higher in 2 and South Korea in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.67 million tonnes | 696,087 tonnes | 1.97 million tonnes | North Korea |
| 2010s | 1.63 million tonnes | 808,616 tonnes | 816,540 tonnes | North Korea |
| 2020s | 353,085 tonnes | 1.42 million tonnes | 1.06 million tonnes | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual co₂ emissions from wildfires, North Korea or South Korea?
- North Korea, at 265,981 tonnes against 261,986 tonnes in South Korea as of 2026.
- What is the difference in annual co₂ emissions from wildfires between North Korea and South Korea?
- 3,995 tonnes, with North Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and South Korea?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2003 to 2026.
- How do North Korea and South Korea rank globally for annual co₂ emissions from wildfires?
- North Korea ranks 120th and South Korea ranks 122nd 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.