North Korea vs South Africa: Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector
North Korea
256.64 kilograms per person
in 2023
South Africa
251.22 kilograms per person
in 2023
North Korea rank
64th
South Africa rank
65th
Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector over time
- North Korea
- South Africa
How they compare
North Korea currently reports 256.64 kilograms per person against 251.22 kilograms per person in South Africa, a difference of 5.42 kilograms per person.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was South Africa ahead.
North Korea ranks 64th and South Africa ranks 65th of 187 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.2 kilograms per person | 270.29 kilograms per person | 257.1 kilograms per person | South Africa |
| 2000s | 4.41 kilograms per person | 431 kilograms per person | 426.59 kilograms per person | South Africa |
| 2010s | 89.17 kilograms per person | 408.27 kilograms per person | 319.1 kilograms per person | South Africa |
| 2020s | 251.09 kilograms per person | 258.19 kilograms per person | 7.11 kilograms per person | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher per capita co₂ emissions by sector, North Korea or South Africa?
- North Korea, at 256.64 kilograms per person against 251.22 kilograms per person in South Africa as of 2023.
- What is the difference in per capita co₂ emissions by sector between North Korea and South Africa?
- 5.42 kilograms per person, with North Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and South Africa?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do North Korea and South Africa rank globally for per capita co₂ emissions by sector?
- North Korea ranks 64th and South Africa ranks 65th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Per capita CO₂ 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 kilograms per person.