Carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre was 362.57 tonnes per square kilometre in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
362.57 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
77th
of 204 countries
All-time high
407.78 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2008
All-time low
84.18 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre in South Africa is 362.57 tonnes per square kilometre, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 407.78 tonnes per square kilometre in 2008 and was at its lowest, 84.18 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places South Africa 77th out of 204 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 84.18 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 87.11 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1963 | 90.45 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1964 | 98.55 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.0% |
| 1965 | 105.63 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 1966 | 105.71 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 110.26 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1968 | 113.72 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 118 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1970 | 123.34 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 138.82 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.6% |
| 1972 | 141.42 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 142.9 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 145.54 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 152.51 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1976 | 159.02 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 164.65 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 166.42 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 180.26 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.3% |
| 1980 | 188.12 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 211.92 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.7% |
| 1982 | 231.18 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.1% |
| 1983 | 240.63 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1984 | 260.16 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 1985 | 266.98 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 272.45 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 270.94 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 282.47 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 280.87 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 257.96 tonnes per square kilometre | -8.2% |
| 1991 | 268.76 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 248.4 tonnes per square kilometre | -7.6% |
| 1993 | 264.08 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1994 | 279.2 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1995 | 298.17 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1996 | 299.84 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 317.55 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 311 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 309.02 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 311.88 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 306.33 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 293.88 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 333.37 tonnes per square kilometre | +13.4% |
| 2004 | 370.39 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.1% |
| 2005 | 343.1 tonnes per square kilometre | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 368.27 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 2007 | 383.35 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 407.78 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 391.16 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 385.26 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 390.96 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 380.38 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 376.06 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 397.03 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2015 | 377.11 tonnes per square kilometre | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 376.76 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 362.72 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 374.06 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 388.04 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 358.83 tonnes per square kilometre | -7.5% |
| 2021 | 362.27 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 353.46 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 359.91 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 362.57 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 362.57 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 247.93 tonnes per square kilometre, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 362.57 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 21.8 tonnes per square kilometre, 16.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 101.51 tonnes per square kilometre | 84.18 tonnes per square kilometre | 118 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 151.49 tonnes per square kilometre | 123.34 tonnes per square kilometre | 180.26 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 250.57 tonnes per square kilometre | 188.12 tonnes per square kilometre | 282.47 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 285.4 tonnes per square kilometre | 248.4 tonnes per square kilometre | 317.55 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 350.95 tonnes per square kilometre | 293.88 tonnes per square kilometre | 407.78 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 380.84 tonnes per square kilometre | 362.72 tonnes per square kilometre | 397.03 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 359.41 tonnes per square kilometre | 353.46 tonnes per square kilometre | 362.57 tonnes per square kilometre | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 74 Turks and Caicos Islands 399.52 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 75 Portugal 387.96 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 76 Bosnia and Herzegovina 379.41 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 78 Sri Lanka 336.65 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 79 Croatia 329.96 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 80 Saudi Arabia 321.97 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre in South Africa was 362.57 tonnes per square kilometre in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 407.78 tonnes per square kilometre in 2008.
- What is the lowest carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.18 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 77th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Carbon dioxide emissions by income level, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Carbon dioxide emissions by income level divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Carbon dioxide emissions by income level ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Carbon dioxide emissions by income level Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Carbon dioxide emissions by income level divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.