Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Congo
Congo: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires was 128,358 tonnes in 2026. ▬ Flat
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Congo, 2003–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Congo recorded 128,358 tonnes for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in 2026. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 62.1% on the previous year and up 10.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Congo peaked at 128,358 tonnes in 2026 and was at its lowest, 69,428 tonnes, in 2023.
That places Congo 25th out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the top 10%.
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Congo, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 80,051 tonnes | — |
| 2004 | 87,260 tonnes | +9.0% |
| 2005 | 99,814 tonnes | +14.4% |
| 2006 | 90,702 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 2007 | 82,457 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 2008 | 92,772 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 2009 | 88,100 tonnes | -5.0% |
| 2010 | 104,404 tonnes | +18.5% |
| 2011 | 114,979 tonnes | +10.1% |
| 2012 | 92,579 tonnes | -19.5% |
| 2013 | 109,571 tonnes | +18.4% |
| 2014 | 79,293 tonnes | -27.6% |
| 2015 | 92,741 tonnes | +17.0% |
| 2016 | 116,220 tonnes | +25.3% |
| 2017 | 70,046 tonnes | -39.7% |
| 2018 | 89,280 tonnes | +27.5% |
| 2019 | 73,106 tonnes | -18.1% |
| 2020 | 75,899 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 86,254 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 2022 | 92,418 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 2023 | 69,428 tonnes | -24.9% |
| 2024 | 104,776 tonnes | +50.9% |
| 2025 | 79,199 tonnes | -24.4% |
| 2026 | 128,358 tonnes | +62.1% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 128,358 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12,315 tonnes, 10.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 128,358 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30,647 tonnes, 4.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 88,737 tonnes | 80,051 tonnes | 99,814 tonnes | 7 |
| 2010s | 94,222 tonnes | 70,046 tonnes | 116,220 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 90,905 tonnes | 69,428 tonnes | 128,358 tonnes | 7 |
Countries ranked near Congo
- 22 Bolivia 147,562 tonnes compare
- 23 Madagascar 139,504 tonnes compare
- 24 South Africa 133,796 tonnes compare
- 26 Ethiopia 126,718 tonnes compare
- 27 Nigeria 118,794 tonnes compare
- 28 Papua New Guinea 114,922 tonnes compare
More climate change data for Congo
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 226,333 kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 762.73 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 278.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 484.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1.05 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 13.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 6.62 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 6.61 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.025 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Congo?
- Annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Congo was 128,358 tonnes in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 128,358 tonnes in 2026.
- What is the lowest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 69,428 tonnes in 2023.
- How does Congo rank for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
- Congo ranks 25th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
PM2.5 emissions represent the quantity of fine particulate matter (diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) released by wildfires, in tonnes. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.