South Africa vs Vietnam: Greenhouse gas emissions by sector
South Africa
7.42 million tonnes
in 2023
Vietnam
8.34 million tonnes
in 2023
South Africa rank
19th
Vietnam rank
16th
Greenhouse gas emissions by sector over time
- South Africa
- Vietnam
How they compare
Vietnam currently reports 8.34 million tonnes against 7.42 million tonnes in South Africa, a difference of 920,000 tonnes.
That makes Vietnam's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 19th and Vietnam ranks 16th of 179 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 3 and Vietnam in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Vietnam | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.45 million tonnes | 1.05 million tonnes | 3.40 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 2000s | 4.14 million tonnes | 1.49 million tonnes | 2.65 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 2010s | 7.50 million tonnes | 4.20 million tonnes | 3.30 million tonnes | South Africa |
| 2020s | 7.17 million tonnes | 7.88 million tonnes | 720,000 tonnes | Vietnam |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher greenhouse gas emissions by sector, South Africa or Vietnam?
- Vietnam, at 8.34 million tonnes against 7.42 million tonnes in South Africa as of 2023.
- What is the difference in greenhouse gas emissions by sector between South Africa and Vietnam?
- 920,000 tonnes, with Vietnam ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Vietnam?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do South Africa and Vietnam rank globally for greenhouse gas emissions by sector?
- South Africa ranks 19th and Vietnam ranks 16th of 179 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Climate Watch (2026) β with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Greenhouse gas emissions by sector. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Emissions are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalents.