Kenya vs South Africa: emissions of air pollutants
Kenya
4.22 million tonnes
in 2022
South Africa
4.37 million tonnes
in 2022
Kenya rank
16th
South Africa rank
15th
emissions of air pollutants over time
- Kenya
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 4.37 million tonnes against 4.22 million tonnes in Kenya, a difference of 151,870 tonnes.
Across all 273 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Kenya ranks 16th and South Africa ranks 15th of 220 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 28 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Kenya | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1750s | 67,558 tonnes | 174,460 tonnes | 106,902 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1760s | 67,725 tonnes | 179,778 tonnes | 112,052 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1770s | 67,887 tonnes | 185,530 tonnes | 117,643 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1780s | 68,043 tonnes | 191,775 tonnes | 123,732 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1790s | 68,192 tonnes | 198,581 tonnes | 130,389 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1800s | 68,334 tonnes | 206,023 tonnes | 137,689 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1810s | 68,624 tonnes | 218,304 tonnes | 149,680 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1820s | 69,096 tonnes | 237,052 tonnes | 167,956 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1830s | 69,561 tonnes | 258,293 tonnes | 188,731 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1840s | 70,018 tonnes | 282,402 tonnes | 212,384 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1850s | 72,537 tonnes | 325,430 tonnes | 252,893 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1860s | 78,950 tonnes | 394,421 tonnes | 315,471 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1870s | 88,320 tonnes | 479,431 tonnes | 391,112 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1880s | 109,009 tonnes | 586,523 tonnes | 477,514 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1890s | 135,512 tonnes | 726,120 tonnes | 590,608 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1900s | 205,280 tonnes | 971,467 tonnes | 766,186 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1910s | 342,183 tonnes | 1.21 million tonnes | 867,018 tonnes | South Africa |
| 1920s | 367,417 tonnes | 1.42 million tonnes | 1.05 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 1930s | 412,086 tonnes | 1.69 million tonnes | 1.27 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 1940s | 557,275 tonnes | 2.03 million tonnes | 1.47 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 1950s | 787,517 tonnes | 2.21 million tonnes | 1.42 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 1960s | 830,640 tonnes | 2.07 million tonnes | 1.24 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 1970s | 1.06 million tonnes | 2.69 million tonnes | 1.64 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 1980s | 1.52 million tonnes | 3.33 million tonnes | 1.80 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 1990s | 2.08 million tonnes | 4.27 million tonnes | 2.19 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 2000s | 2.74 million tonnes | 5.02 million tonnes | 2.29 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 2010s | 3.62 million tonnes | 5.06 million tonnes | 1.44 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 2020s | 4.15 million tonnes | 4.40 million tonnes | 250,217 tonnes | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher emissions of air pollutants, Kenya or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 4.37 million tonnes against 4.22 million tonnes in Kenya as of 2022.
- What is the difference in emissions of air pollutants between Kenya and South Africa?
- 151,870 tonnes, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Kenya and South Africa?
- 273 years are reported by both, from 1750 to 2022.
- How do Kenya and South Africa rank globally for emissions of air pollutants?
- Kenya ranks 16th 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.
Individual pages
About this data
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.