Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in North Korea
North Korea: Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP was 1.39 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▲ Rising
Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in North Korea, 1913–2022
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per international-$.
Analysis
In 2022, carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in North Korea stood at 1.39 kilograms per international-$.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 29.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in North Korea peaked at 2.36 kilograms per international-$ in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.0542 kilograms per international-$, in 1913.
That places North Korea 1st out of 164 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in North Korea, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1913 | 0.0542 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1990 | 2.36 kilograms per international-$ | +4249.6% |
| 1991 | 2.34 kilograms per international-$ | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 2.18 kilograms per international-$ | -6.8% |
| 1993 | 2.08 kilograms per international-$ | -4.6% |
| 1994 | 1.94 kilograms per international-$ | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 1.9 kilograms per international-$ | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 1.71 kilograms per international-$ | -9.6% |
| 1997 | 1.77 kilograms per international-$ | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 1.65 kilograms per international-$ | -6.5% |
| 1999 | 1.71 kilograms per international-$ | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 1.83 kilograms per international-$ | +7.4% |
| 2001 | 1.83 kilograms per international-$ | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 1.73 kilograms per international-$ | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 1.74 kilograms per international-$ | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 1.74 kilograms per international-$ | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 1.76 kilograms per international-$ | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 1.8 kilograms per international-$ | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 1.52 kilograms per international-$ | -15.7% |
| 2008 | 1.63 kilograms per international-$ | +7.2% |
| 2009 | 1.58 kilograms per international-$ | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 1.53 kilograms per international-$ | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 1.11 kilograms per international-$ | -27.4% |
| 2012 | 1.07 kilograms per international-$ | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 0.8208 kilograms per international-$ | -23.6% |
| 2014 | 0.8946 kilograms per international-$ | +9.0% |
| 2015 | 0.7103 kilograms per international-$ | -20.6% |
| 2016 | 0.7485 kilograms per international-$ | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 1.58 kilograms per international-$ | +110.9% |
| 2018 | 1.48 kilograms per international-$ | -6.3% |
| 2019 | 1.64 kilograms per international-$ | +10.6% |
| 2020 | 1.62 kilograms per international-$ | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 1.33 kilograms per international-$ | -17.7% |
| 2022 | 1.39 kilograms per international-$ | +4.5% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1.39 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.1236 kilograms per international-$, 11.2× the median. (21 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1.39 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2839 kilograms per international-$, 4.9× the median. (17 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +4249.6% | 0.0542 kilograms per international-$ | 2.36 kilograms per international-$ |
| 2017 | +110.9% | 0.7485 kilograms per international-$ | 1.58 kilograms per international-$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0.0542 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0542 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0542 kilograms per international-$ | 1 |
| 1990s | 1.96 kilograms per international-$ | 1.65 kilograms per international-$ | 2.36 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.72 kilograms per international-$ | 1.52 kilograms per international-$ | 1.83 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.16 kilograms per international-$ | 0.7103 kilograms per international-$ | 1.64 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.45 kilograms per international-$ | 1.33 kilograms per international-$ | 1.62 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 2 Turkmenistan 1.05 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 3 Trinidad and Tobago 0.9995 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 4 Mongolia 0.9026 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for North Korea
- Spring temperature anomalies 2.29 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.3103 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -2.22 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.2725 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6419 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate 27.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.9637 °C (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in North Korea?
- Carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in North Korea was 1.39 kilograms per international-$ in 2022, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.36 kilograms per international-$ in 1990.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0542 kilograms per international-$ in 1913.
- How does North Korea rank for carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp?
- North Korea ranks 1st out of 164 countries with data for 2022.
- Is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).