Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP was 0.3657 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.3657 kilograms per international-$
Change on year
down 11.8%
World rank
28th
of 164 countries
All-time high
1.13 kilograms per international-$
in 1986
All-time low
0 kilograms per international-$
in 1951
Years of data
73
1950–2022
Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Saudi Arabia, 1950–2022
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-$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Saudi Arabia is 0.3657 kilograms per international-$, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 11.8% on the previous year and down 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Saudi Arabia peaked at 1.13 kilograms per international-$ in 1986 and was at its lowest, 0 kilograms per international-$, in 1951.
That places Saudi Arabia 28th out of 164 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.3745 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1951 | 0 kilograms per international-$ | -100.0% |
| 1952 | 0 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1953 | 0.0275 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1954 | 0.0641 kilograms per international-$ | +133.3% |
| 1955 | 0.107 kilograms per international-$ | +66.8% |
| 1956 | 0.0769 kilograms per international-$ | -28.2% |
| 1957 | 0.0955 kilograms per international-$ | +24.3% |
| 1958 | 0.0866 kilograms per international-$ | -9.3% |
| 1959 | 0.0729 kilograms per international-$ | -15.8% |
| 1960 | 0.0956 kilograms per international-$ | +31.2% |
| 1961 | 0.114 kilograms per international-$ | +19.3% |
| 1962 | 0.1785 kilograms per international-$ | +56.5% |
| 1963 | 0.1823 kilograms per international-$ | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 0.17 kilograms per international-$ | -6.7% |
| 1965 | 0.0908 kilograms per international-$ | -46.6% |
| 1966 | 0.1205 kilograms per international-$ | +32.7% |
| 1967 | 0.4403 kilograms per international-$ | +265.6% |
| 1968 | 0.4613 kilograms per international-$ | +4.8% |
| 1969 | 0.5197 kilograms per international-$ | +12.7% |
| 1970 | 0.6095 kilograms per international-$ | +17.3% |
| 1971 | 0.7035 kilograms per international-$ | +15.4% |
| 1972 | 0.7173 kilograms per international-$ | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 0.8102 kilograms per international-$ | +13.0% |
| 1974 | 0.731 kilograms per international-$ | -9.8% |
| 1975 | 0.6151 kilograms per international-$ | -15.9% |
| 1976 | 0.6899 kilograms per international-$ | +12.2% |
| 1977 | 0.6975 kilograms per international-$ | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 0.6414 kilograms per international-$ | -8.1% |
| 1979 | 0.7213 kilograms per international-$ | +12.5% |
| 1980 | 0.8033 kilograms per international-$ | +11.4% |
| 1981 | 0.771 kilograms per international-$ | -4.0% |
| 1982 | 0.6831 kilograms per international-$ | -11.4% |
| 1983 | 0.7797 kilograms per international-$ | +14.1% |
| 1984 | 0.7547 kilograms per international-$ | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 0.8967 kilograms per international-$ | +18.8% |
| 1986 | 1.13 kilograms per international-$ | +26.4% |
| 1987 | 1.01 kilograms per international-$ | -11.0% |
| 1988 | 1.04 kilograms per international-$ | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 1.01 kilograms per international-$ | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 0.7904 kilograms per international-$ | -21.5% |
| 1991 | 0.8756 kilograms per international-$ | +10.8% |
| 1992 | 0.9017 kilograms per international-$ | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 0.9363 kilograms per international-$ | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 0.8655 kilograms per international-$ | -7.6% |
| 1995 | 0.7751 kilograms per international-$ | -10.4% |
| 1996 | 0.7061 kilograms per international-$ | -8.9% |
| 1997 | 0.5614 kilograms per international-$ | -20.5% |
| 1998 | 0.5017 kilograms per international-$ | -10.6% |
| 1999 | 0.5398 kilograms per international-$ | +7.6% |
| 2000 | 0.6342 kilograms per international-$ | +17.5% |
| 2001 | 0.6398 kilograms per international-$ | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 0.6693 kilograms per international-$ | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 0.5784 kilograms per international-$ | -13.6% |
| 2004 | 0.5901 kilograms per international-$ | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 0.5361 kilograms per international-$ | -9.2% |
| 2006 | 0.5337 kilograms per international-$ | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 0.4724 kilograms per international-$ | -11.5% |
| 2008 | 0.467 kilograms per international-$ | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 0.4844 kilograms per international-$ | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 0.4803 kilograms per international-$ | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 0.4008 kilograms per international-$ | -16.6% |
| 2012 | 0.4262 kilograms per international-$ | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 0.399 kilograms per international-$ | -6.4% |
| 2014 | 0.3848 kilograms per international-$ | -3.6% |
| 2015 | 0.3924 kilograms per international-$ | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 0.3935 kilograms per international-$ | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3958 kilograms per international-$ | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 0.3898 kilograms per international-$ | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 0.4198 kilograms per international-$ | +7.7% |
| 2020 | 0.405 kilograms per international-$ | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 0.4146 kilograms per international-$ | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 0.3657 kilograms per international-$ | -11.8% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0.3657 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1825 kilograms per international-$, 2.0× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 0.3657 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.2656 kilograms per international-$, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Saudi Arabia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +265.6% | 0.1205 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4403 kilograms per international-$ |
| 1954 | +133.3% | 0.0275 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0641 kilograms per international-$ |
| 1951 | -100.0% | 0.3745 kilograms per international-$ | 0 kilograms per international-$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.0905 kilograms per international-$ | 0 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3745 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2373 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0908 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5197 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.6937 kilograms per international-$ | 0.6095 kilograms per international-$ | 0.8102 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8874 kilograms per international-$ | 0.6831 kilograms per international-$ | 1.13 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7454 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5017 kilograms per international-$ | 0.9363 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5605 kilograms per international-$ | 0.467 kilograms per international-$ | 0.6693 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4082 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3848 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4803 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3951 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3657 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4146 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 25 Serbia 0.3806 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 26 Equatorial Guinea 0.3713 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 27 Congo 0.3686 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 29 Kyrgyzstan 0.3631 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 30 Bulgaria 0.3391 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 31 Mauritania 0.3361 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for Saudi Arabia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 134.54 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,043 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,830 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,213 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 79.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,002 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 15.05 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3.78 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Saudi Arabia?
- Carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Saudi Arabia was 0.3657 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.13 kilograms per international-$ in 1986.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilograms per international-$ in 1951.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 28th out of 164 countries with data for 2022.
- Is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.
Download this data
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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-$).