Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Annual CO₂ emissions from coal was 3.89 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
3.89 million tonnes
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
64th
of 179 countries
All-time high
3.89 million tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
3,664 tonnes
in 1997
Years of data
76
1949–2024
Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Afghanistan, 1949–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 3.89 million tonnes for annual co₂ emissions from coal in 2024. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from coal in Afghanistan peaked at 3.89 million tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3,664 tonnes, in 1997.
That places Afghanistan 64th out of 179 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 14,656 tonnes | — |
| 1950 | 21,068 tonnes | +43.8% |
| 1951 | 25,648 tonnes | +21.7% |
| 1952 | 31,708 tonnes | +23.6% |
| 1953 | 37,949 tonnes | +19.7% |
| 1954 | 42,502 tonnes | +12.0% |
| 1955 | 62,288 tonnes | +46.6% |
| 1956 | 62,288 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 76,944 tonnes | +23.5% |
| 1958 | 91,600 tonnes | +19.0% |
| 1959 | 109,920 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1960 | 127,115 tonnes | +15.6% |
| 1961 | 175,872 tonnes | +38.4% |
| 1962 | 296,784 tonnes | +68.8% |
| 1963 | 263,808 tonnes | -11.1% |
| 1964 | 300,448 tonnes | +13.9% |
| 1965 | 381,056 tonnes | +26.8% |
| 1966 | 428,688 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1967 | 399,376 tonnes | -6.8% |
| 1968 | 332,429 tonnes | -16.8% |
| 1969 | 362,736 tonnes | +9.1% |
| 1970 | 436,974 tonnes | +20.5% |
| 1971 | 359,072 tonnes | -17.8% |
| 1972 | 190,528 tonnes | -46.9% |
| 1973 | 310,745 tonnes | +63.1% |
| 1974 | 304,695 tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 398,689 tonnes | +30.8% |
| 1976 | 425,024 tonnes | +6.6% |
| 1977 | 450,672 tonnes | +6.0% |
| 1978 | 576,226 tonnes | +27.9% |
| 1979 | 351,744 tonnes | -39.0% |
| 1980 | 315,762 tonnes | -10.2% |
| 1981 | 333,424 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1982 | 384,720 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1983 | 384,720 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 392,556 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 399,794 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 425,024 tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1987 | 442,824 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 366,400 tonnes | -17.3% |
| 1989 | 337,088 tonnes | -8.0% |
| 1990 | 278,464 tonnes | -17.4% |
| 1991 | 249,627 tonnes | -10.4% |
| 1992 | 21,984 tonnes | -91.2% |
| 1993 | 18,320 tonnes | -16.7% |
| 1994 | 14,693 tonnes | -19.8% |
| 1995 | 14,656 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 7,328 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1997 | 3,664 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1998 | 3,664 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3,664 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3,664 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 69,616 tonnes | +1800.0% |
| 2002 | 54,960 tonnes | -21.1% |
| 2003 | 91,600 tonnes | +66.7% |
| 2004 | 91,600 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 106,256 tonnes | +16.0% |
| 2006 | 160,944 tonnes | +51.5% |
| 2007 | 747,456 tonnes | +364.4% |
| 2008 | 1.08 million tonnes | +44.1% |
| 2009 | 1.51 million tonnes | +40.5% |
| 2010 | 2.25 million tonnes | +48.4% |
| 2011 | 3.75 million tonnes | +66.9% |
| 2012 | 2.82 million tonnes | -24.8% |
| 2013 | 2.97 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 3.24 million tonnes | +9.0% |
| 2015 | 2.44 million tonnes | -24.7% |
| 2016 | 2.42 million tonnes | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 2.89 million tonnes | +19.5% |
| 2018 | 3.22 million tonnes | +11.3% |
| 2019 | 3.27 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 3.63 million tonnes | +11.0% |
| 2021 | 2.99 million tonnes | -17.6% |
| 2022 | 3.49 million tonnes | +16.5% |
| 2023 | 3.87 million tonnes | +10.9% |
| 2024 | 3.89 million tonnes | +0.7% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 3.89 million tonnes is above the median for low income countries, which is 51,703 tonnes, 75.3× the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 3.89 million tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 605,761 tonnes, 6.4× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +1800.0% | 3,664 tonnes | 69,616 tonnes |
| 2007 | +364.4% | 160,944 tonnes | 747,456 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 14,656 tonnes | 14,656 tonnes | 14,656 tonnes | 1 |
| 1950s | 56,192 tonnes | 21,068 tonnes | 109,920 tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 306,831 tonnes | 127,115 tonnes | 428,688 tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 380,437 tonnes | 190,528 tonnes | 576,226 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 378,231 tonnes | 315,762 tonnes | 442,824 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 61,606 tonnes | 3,664 tonnes | 278,464 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 391,655 tonnes | 3,664 tonnes | 1.51 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.93 million tonnes | 2.25 million tonnes | 3.75 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.58 million tonnes | 2.99 million tonnes | 3.89 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More climate change data for Afghanistan
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 79.22 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 23,854 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,965 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 17,889 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 22.51 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 638.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,345 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,090 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,255 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 4.11 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from coal in Afghanistan?
- Annual co₂ emissions from coal in Afghanistan was 3.89 million tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual co₂ emissions from coal recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.89 million tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from coal recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,664 tonnes in 1997.
- How does Afghanistan rank for annual co₂ emissions from coal?
- Afghanistan ranks 64th out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from coal rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual CO₂ emissions from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from coal, measured in tonnes.