Iraq vs South Africa: Total greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry
Iraq
389.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 2024
South Africa
508.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 2024
Iraq rank
18th
South Africa rank
15th
Total greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry over time
- Iraq
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 508.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents against 389.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in Iraq, a difference of 118.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.3 times Iraq's.
Across all 175 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Iraq ranks 18th and South Africa ranks 15th of 198 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 18 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iraq | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 243,266 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.08 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 837,651 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1860s | 267,512 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.02 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1870s | 306,778 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.58 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1880s | 351,960 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.96 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.61 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1890s | 398,296 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1900s | 465,678 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 12.66 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 12.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1910s | 533,931 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 24.75 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 24.21 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1920s | 757,636 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 33.89 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 33.13 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1930s | 10.98 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 38.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 27.86 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1940s | 28.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 63.09 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 34.63 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1950s | 27.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 94.55 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 67.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1960s | 66.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 142.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 76.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1970s | 129.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 213.99 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 84.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1980s | 128.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 352.81 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 224.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 1990s | 113.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 407.89 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 294.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 2000s | 168.38 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 494.91 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 326.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 2010s | 281.21 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 537.12 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 255.91 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
| 2020s | 364.97 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 506.71 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 141.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher total greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry, Iraq or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 508.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents against 389.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in Iraq as of 2024.
- What is the difference in total greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry between Iraq and South Africa?
- 118.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iraq and South Africa?
- 175 years are reported by both, from 1850 to 2024.
- How do Iraq and South Africa rank globally for total greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry?
- Iraq ranks 18th and South Africa ranks 15th of 198 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Total greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Greenhouse gas emissions are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.