South Africa vs United Kingdom: Carbon dioxide emissions by income level
South Africa
439.83 million tonnes
in 2024
United Kingdom
312.91 million tonnes
in 2024
South Africa rank
15th
United Kingdom rank
18th
Carbon dioxide emissions by income level over time
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 439.83 million tonnes against 312.91 million tonnes in United Kingdom, a difference of 126.92 million tonnes.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.4 times United Kingdom's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 141 shared years of data; in 1884 it was United Kingdom ahead.
South Africa ranks 15th and United Kingdom ranks 18th of 215 countries.
Across the 15 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom in 13.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 61,067 tonnes | 324.24 million tonnes | 324.18 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1890s | 2.92 million tonnes | 367.37 million tonnes | 364.45 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1900s | 9.07 million tonnes | 441.17 million tonnes | 432.10 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1910s | 19.71 million tonnes | 480.92 million tonnes | 461.21 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1920s | 27.64 million tonnes | 434.26 million tonnes | 406.62 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1930s | 31.50 million tonnes | 453.04 million tonnes | 421.54 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1940s | 52.30 million tonnes | 488.65 million tonnes | 436.35 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1950s | 79.22 million tonnes | 548.40 million tonnes | 469.18 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1960s | 120.61 million tonnes | 604.38 million tonnes | 483.77 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1970s | 183.77 million tonnes | 629.32 million tonnes | 445.55 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1980s | 303.96 million tonnes | 561.41 million tonnes | 257.44 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 1990s | 346.21 million tonnes | 580.47 million tonnes | 234.25 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 425.73 million tonnes | 558.91 million tonnes | 133.18 million tonnes | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 461.99 million tonnes | 433.93 million tonnes | 28.07 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 2020s | 436.00 million tonnes | 320.10 million tonnes | 115.90 million tonnes | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher carbon dioxide emissions by income level, South Africa or United Kingdom?
- South Africa, at 439.83 million tonnes against 312.91 million tonnes in United Kingdom as of 2024.
- What is the difference in carbon dioxide emissions by income level between South Africa and United Kingdom?
- 126.92 million tonnes, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Kingdom?
- 141 years are reported by both, from 1884 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and United Kingdom rank globally for carbon dioxide emissions by income level?
- South Africa ranks 15th and United Kingdom ranks 18th of 215 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Carbon dioxide emissions by income level. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Annual total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, measured in tonnes.