Egypt vs South Africa: emissions of air pollutants

Egypt
4.50 million tonnes
in 2022
South Africa
4.37 million tonnes
in 2022
Egypt rank
14th
South Africa rank
15th

emissions of air pollutants over time

  • Egypt
  • South Africa
02.0M4.0M6.0M175018862022

How they compare

Egypt currently reports 4.50 million tonnes against 4.37 million tonnes in South Africa, a difference of 125,740 tonnes.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 273 shared years of data; in 1750 it was Egypt ahead.

Egypt ranks 14th and South Africa ranks 15th of 220 countries.

Across the 28 decades both report, Egypt averaged higher in 8 and South Africa in 20.

Head to head by decade

Decade Egypt South Africa Difference Ahead
1750s 237,208 tonnes 174,460 tonnes 62,749 tonnes Egypt
1760s 233,749 tonnes 179,778 tonnes 53,972 tonnes Egypt
1770s 230,230 tonnes 185,530 tonnes 44,701 tonnes Egypt
1780s 226,645 tonnes 191,775 tonnes 34,870 tonnes Egypt
1790s 222,985 tonnes 198,581 tonnes 24,404 tonnes Egypt
1800s 219,241 tonnes 206,023 tonnes 13,218 tonnes Egypt
1810s 220,210 tonnes 218,304 tonnes 1,906 tonnes Egypt
1820s 226,976 tonnes 237,052 tonnes 10,077 tonnes South Africa
1830s 233,739 tonnes 258,293 tonnes 24,554 tonnes South Africa
1840s 240,464 tonnes 282,402 tonnes 41,938 tonnes South Africa
1850s 256,000 tonnes 325,430 tonnes 69,429 tonnes South Africa
1860s 291,964 tonnes 394,421 tonnes 102,457 tonnes South Africa
1870s 337,924 tonnes 479,431 tonnes 141,507 tonnes South Africa
1880s 384,891 tonnes 586,523 tonnes 201,632 tonnes South Africa
1890s 435,805 tonnes 726,120 tonnes 290,315 tonnes South Africa
1900s 492,602 tonnes 971,467 tonnes 478,865 tonnes South Africa
1910s 554,316 tonnes 1.21 million tonnes 654,885 tonnes South Africa
1920s 612,026 tonnes 1.42 million tonnes 807,665 tonnes South Africa
1930s 653,656 tonnes 1.69 million tonnes 1.03 million tonnes South Africa
1940s 682,758 tonnes 2.03 million tonnes 1.35 million tonnes South Africa
1950s 634,895 tonnes 2.21 million tonnes 1.57 million tonnes South Africa
1960s 576,476 tonnes 2.07 million tonnes 1.50 million tonnes South Africa
1970s 634,329 tonnes 2.69 million tonnes 2.06 million tonnes South Africa
1980s 1.04 million tonnes 3.33 million tonnes 2.29 million tonnes South Africa
1990s 1.40 million tonnes 4.27 million tonnes 2.87 million tonnes South Africa
2000s 2.17 million tonnes 5.02 million tonnes 2.85 million tonnes South Africa
2010s 2.89 million tonnes 5.06 million tonnes 2.17 million tonnes South Africa
2020s 4.43 million tonnes 4.40 million tonnes 22,313 tonnes Egypt

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher emissions of air pollutants, Egypt or South Africa?
Egypt, at 4.50 million tonnes against 4.37 million tonnes in South Africa as of 2022.
What is the difference in emissions of air pollutants between Egypt and South Africa?
125,740 tonnes, with Egypt ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Egypt and South Africa?
273 years are reported by both, from 1750 to 2022.
How do Egypt and South Africa rank globally for emissions of air pollutants?
Egypt ranks 14th and South Africa ranks 15th of 220 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as emissions of air pollutants. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Egypt vs South Africa: emissions of air pollutants. Statizoid, drawing on Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/compare/change-air-pollutant-emissions/egypt-arab-rep/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
emissions of air pollutants
Unit
tonnes
Source
Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
220 places, 60,060 data points, 1750–2022
Last refreshed

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a pollutant produced from the incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels such as oil, gas, wood, and coal. CO is a harmful gas that contributes to both outdoor and indoor air pollution.