Ethiopia vs South Africa: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires
Ethiopia
126,718 tonnes
in 2026
South Africa
133,796 tonnes
in 2026
Ethiopia rank
26th
South Africa rank
24th
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires over time
- Ethiopia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 133,796 tonnes against 126,718 tonnes in Ethiopia, a difference of 7,078 tonnes.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Ethiopia's.
The two have swapped places 7 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2003 it was Ethiopia ahead.
Ethiopia ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 24th 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 | 231,530 tonnes | 198,761 tonnes | 32,769 tonnes | Ethiopia |
| 2010s | 193,980 tonnes | 193,313 tonnes | 667.8 tonnes | Ethiopia |
| 2020s | 131,443 tonnes | 171,383 tonnes | 39,940 tonnes | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires, Ethiopia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 133,796 tonnes against 126,718 tonnes in Ethiopia as of 2026.
- What is the difference in annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires between Ethiopia and South Africa?
- 7,078 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 pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
- Ethiopia ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 24th 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 PM2.5 emissions from wildfires. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
PM2.5 emissions represent the quantity of fine particulate matter (diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) released by wildfires, in tonnes. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.