Carbon dioxide emissions by income level in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Carbon dioxide emissions by income level was 5.90 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
5.90 million tonnes
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
132nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
5.90 million tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
3,634 tonnes
in 1933
Years of data
105
1920–2024
Carbon dioxide emissions by income level in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1920–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 5.90 million tonnes for carbon dioxide emissions by income level in 2024. That is the highest value across all 105 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon dioxide emissions by income level in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 5.90 million tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3,634 tonnes, in 1933.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 132nd out of 215 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.
Carbon dioxide emissions by income level in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 3,664 tonnes | — |
| 1921 | 7,328 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1922 | 80,608 tonnes | +1000.0% |
| 1923 | 161,216 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1924 | 216,176 tonnes | +34.1% |
| 1925 | 172,208 tonnes | -20.3% |
| 1926 | 238,160 tonnes | +38.3% |
| 1927 | 230,832 tonnes | -3.1% |
| 1928 | 281,950 tonnes | +22.1% |
| 1929 | 303,874 tonnes | +7.8% |
| 1930 | 388,117 tonnes | +27.7% |
| 1931 | 248,974 tonnes | -35.9% |
| 1932 | 51,237 tonnes | -79.4% |
| 1933 | 3,634 tonnes | -92.9% |
| 1934 | 18,290 tonnes | +403.3% |
| 1935 | 32,946 tonnes | +80.1% |
| 1936 | 40,274 tonnes | +22.2% |
| 1937 | 102,561 tonnes | +154.7% |
| 1938 | 120,851 tonnes | +17.8% |
| 1939 | 87,793 tonnes | -27.4% |
| 1940 | 76,850 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 1941 | 102,414 tonnes | +33.3% |
| 1942 | 142,629 tonnes | +39.3% |
| 1943 | 219,573 tonnes | +53.9% |
| 1944 | 171,851 tonnes | -21.7% |
| 1945 | 171,904 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 311,113 tonnes | +81.0% |
| 1947 | 325,626 tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1948 | 373,223 tonnes | +14.6% |
| 1949 | 475,726 tonnes | +27.5% |
| 1950 | 1.48 million tonnes | +211.0% |
| 1951 | 1.75 million tonnes | +18.1% |
| 1952 | 2.08 million tonnes | +19.3% |
| 1953 | 2.29 million tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1954 | 2.82 million tonnes | +23.0% |
| 1955 | 3.39 million tonnes | +20.3% |
| 1956 | 3.17 million tonnes | -6.3% |
| 1957 | 3.33 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1958 | 2.93 million tonnes | -12.1% |
| 1959 | 2.70 million tonnes | -7.8% |
| 1960 | 2.32 million tonnes | -14.1% |
| 1961 | 2.36 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1962 | 2.17 million tonnes | -7.8% |
| 1963 | 2.29 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1964 | 1.97 million tonnes | -13.9% |
| 1965 | 2.47 million tonnes | +25.1% |
| 1966 | 2.40 million tonnes | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 2.29 million tonnes | -4.7% |
| 1968 | 3.37 million tonnes | +47.1% |
| 1969 | 3.65 million tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1970 | 2.71 million tonnes | -25.7% |
| 1971 | 2.96 million tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1972 | 3.02 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 3.19 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1974 | 3.36 million tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1975 | 3.23 million tonnes | -3.9% |
| 1976 | 3.40 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1977 | 3.48 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 3.53 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 3.74 million tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1980 | 3.49 million tonnes | -6.8% |
| 1981 | 3.76 million tonnes | +7.8% |
| 1982 | 3.05 million tonnes | -18.9% |
| 1983 | 4.00 million tonnes | +31.2% |
| 1984 | 3.93 million tonnes | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 3.61 million tonnes | -8.1% |
| 1986 | 3.35 million tonnes | -7.4% |
| 1987 | 3.82 million tonnes | +14.1% |
| 1988 | 3.98 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 4.35 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1990 | 4.25 million tonnes | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 3.13 million tonnes | -26.3% |
| 1992 | 2.81 million tonnes | -10.4% |
| 1993 | 2.66 million tonnes | -5.2% |
| 1994 | 2.75 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 3.10 million tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1996 | 3.47 million tonnes | +12.2% |
| 1997 | 3.09 million tonnes | -11.0% |
| 1998 | 2.73 million tonnes | -11.5% |
| 1999 | 2.20 million tonnes | -19.5% |
| 2000 | 1.70 million tonnes | -22.5% |
| 2001 | 1.65 million tonnes | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 1.73 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 2.10 million tonnes | +20.9% |
| 2004 | 2.03 million tonnes | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 2.29 million tonnes | +12.8% |
| 2006 | 2.35 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 2.62 million tonnes | +11.5% |
| 2008 | 2.69 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 2.45 million tonnes | -8.9% |
| 2010 | 2.74 million tonnes | +11.8% |
| 2011 | 3.04 million tonnes | +11.2% |
| 2012 | 2.80 million tonnes | -8.0% |
| 2013 | 3.92 million tonnes | +40.2% |
| 2014 | 5.07 million tonnes | +29.2% |
| 2015 | 3.27 million tonnes | -35.4% |
| 2016 | 2.66 million tonnes | -18.8% |
| 2017 | 2.92 million tonnes | +9.8% |
| 2018 | 3.77 million tonnes | +29.2% |
| 2019 | 4.12 million tonnes | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 4.30 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 4.29 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 5.89 million tonnes | +37.3% |
| 2023 | 5.88 million tonnes | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 5.90 million tonnes | +0.4% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 5.90 million tonnes is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.17 million tonnes, 1.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 5.90 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.96 million tonnes, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Carbon dioxide emissions by income level in Democratic Republic of Congo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | +1000.0% | 7,328 tonnes | 80,608 tonnes |
| 1934 | +403.3% | 3,634 tonnes | 18,290 tonnes |
| 1950 | +211.0% | 475,726 tonnes | 1.48 million tonnes |
| 1937 | +154.7% | 40,274 tonnes | 102,561 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 169,602 tonnes | 3,664 tonnes | 303,874 tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 109,468 tonnes | 3,634 tonnes | 388,117 tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 237,091 tonnes | 76,850 tonnes | 475,726 tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 2.59 million tonnes | 1.48 million tonnes | 3.39 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.53 million tonnes | 1.97 million tonnes | 3.65 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.26 million tonnes | 2.71 million tonnes | 3.74 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.73 million tonnes | 3.05 million tonnes | 4.35 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.02 million tonnes | 2.20 million tonnes | 4.25 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.16 million tonnes | 1.65 million tonnes | 2.69 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.43 million tonnes | 2.66 million tonnes | 5.07 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.25 million tonnes | 4.29 million tonnes | 5.90 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More climate change data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.2047 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.8778 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.05 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 4.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 4.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.4511 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate 28.16 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon dioxide emissions by income level in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Carbon dioxide emissions by income level in Democratic Republic of Congo was 5.90 million tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest carbon dioxide emissions by income level recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 5.90 million tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest carbon dioxide emissions by income level recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,634 tonnes in 1933.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for carbon dioxide emissions by income level?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 132nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon dioxide emissions by income level rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Carbon dioxide emissions by income level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 105 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, measured in tonnes.