Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Lesotho
Lesotho: Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change per capita was 2.87 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.87 tonnes per person
Change on year
down 5.1%
World rank
17th
of 194 countries
All-time high
4.64 tonnes per person
in 1939
All-time low
-0.6066 tonnes per person
in 2012
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Lesotho, 1850–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 2.87 tonnes per person for annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in 2024.
That represents a change of down 5.1% on the previous year and up 2,183.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Lesotho peaked at 4.64 tonnes per person in 1939 and was at its lowest, -0.6066 tonnes per person, in 2012.
That places Lesotho 17th out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 0.522 tonnes per person | — |
| 1851 | 0.5901 tonnes per person | +13.0% |
| 1852 | 0.6384 tonnes per person | +8.2% |
| 1853 | 0.6726 tonnes per person | +5.3% |
| 1854 | 0.699 tonnes per person | +3.9% |
| 1855 | 0.7202 tonnes per person | +3.0% |
| 1856 | 0.7374 tonnes per person | +2.4% |
| 1857 | 0.7516 tonnes per person | +1.9% |
| 1858 | 0.7634 tonnes per person | +1.6% |
| 1859 | 0.7729 tonnes per person | +1.2% |
| 1860 | 0.7979 tonnes per person | +3.2% |
| 1861 | 0.8186 tonnes per person | +2.6% |
| 1862 | 0.8344 tonnes per person | +1.9% |
| 1863 | 0.8467 tonnes per person | +1.5% |
| 1864 | 0.8563 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 1865 | 0.8639 tonnes per person | +0.9% |
| 1866 | 0.8697 tonnes per person | +0.7% |
| 1867 | 0.8741 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1868 | 0.8773 tonnes per person | +0.4% |
| 1869 | 0.8795 tonnes per person | +0.3% |
| 1870 | 0.9406 tonnes per person | +6.9% |
| 1871 | 0.9871 tonnes per person | +4.9% |
| 1872 | 1.02 tonnes per person | +3.5% |
| 1873 | 1.05 tonnes per person | +2.5% |
| 1874 | 1.07 tonnes per person | +1.9% |
| 1875 | 1.08 tonnes per person | +1.5% |
| 1876 | 1.09 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 1877 | 1.1 tonnes per person | +0.9% |
| 1878 | 1.11 tonnes per person | +0.7% |
| 1879 | 1.12 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1880 | 1.1 tonnes per person | -1.6% |
| 1881 | 1.09 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1882 | 1.08 tonnes per person | -0.8% |
| 1883 | 1.07 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 1884 | 1.07 tonnes per person | -0.6% |
| 1885 | 1.06 tonnes per person | -0.5% |
| 1886 | 1.05 tonnes per person | -0.5% |
| 1887 | 1.05 tonnes per person | -0.5% |
| 1888 | 1.04 tonnes per person | -0.5% |
| 1889 | 1.04 tonnes per person | -0.5% |
| 1890 | 1.06 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 1891 | 1.09 tonnes per person | +2.7% |
| 1892 | 1.11 tonnes per person | +2.0% |
| 1893 | 1.13 tonnes per person | +1.4% |
| 1894 | 1.14 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 1895 | 1.15 tonnes per person | +0.7% |
| 1896 | 1.15 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1897 | 1.16 tonnes per person | +0.4% |
| 1898 | 1.16 tonnes per person | +0.2% |
| 1899 | 1.16 tonnes per person | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 1.29 tonnes per person | +11.5% |
| 1901 | 1.4 tonnes per person | +8.0% |
| 1902 | 1.47 tonnes per person | +5.3% |
| 1903 | 1.53 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1904 | 1.57 tonnes per person | +2.6% |
| 1905 | 1.59 tonnes per person | +1.9% |
| 1906 | 1.62 tonnes per person | +1.4% |
| 1907 | 1.63 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 1908 | 1.64 tonnes per person | +0.7% |
| 1909 | 1.65 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1910 | 1.69 tonnes per person | +2.0% |
| 1911 | 1.71 tonnes per person | +1.5% |
| 1912 | 1.73 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 1913 | 1.74 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1914 | 1.75 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1915 | 1.76 tonnes per person | +0.3% |
| 1916 | 1.76 tonnes per person | +0.1% |
| 1917 | 1.76 tonnes per person | -0.1% |
| 1918 | 1.75 tonnes per person | -0.6% |
| 1919 | 1.73 tonnes per person | -0.8% |
| 1920 | 1.88 tonnes per person | +8.8% |
| 1921 | 1.99 tonnes per person | +5.8% |
| 1922 | 2.07 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1923 | 2.11 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 1924 | 2.14 tonnes per person | +1.3% |
| 1925 | 2.15 tonnes per person | +0.7% |
| 1926 | 2.16 tonnes per person | +0.3% |
| 1927 | 2.16 tonnes per person | -0.0% |
| 1928 | 2.15 tonnes per person | -0.3% |
| 1929 | 2.14 tonnes per person | -0.5% |
| 1930 | 2.84 tonnes per person | +32.7% |
| 1931 | 3.36 tonnes per person | +18.3% |
| 1932 | 3.73 tonnes per person | +11.0% |
| 1933 | 4 tonnes per person | +7.2% |
| 1934 | 4.2 tonnes per person | +5.0% |
| 1935 | 4.35 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1936 | 4.47 tonnes per person | +2.6% |
| 1937 | 4.55 tonnes per person | +1.8% |
| 1938 | 4.6 tonnes per person | +1.3% |
| 1939 | 4.64 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1940 | 3.93 tonnes per person | -15.4% |
| 1941 | 3.4 tonnes per person | -13.3% |
| 1942 | 3.02 tonnes per person | -11.4% |
| 1943 | 2.71 tonnes per person | -10.0% |
| 1944 | 2.47 tonnes per person | -9.0% |
| 1945 | 2.27 tonnes per person | -8.2% |
| 1946 | 2.09 tonnes per person | -7.7% |
| 1947 | 1.94 tonnes per person | -7.2% |
| 1948 | 1.81 tonnes per person | -6.8% |
| 1949 | 1.7 tonnes per person | -6.3% |
| 1950 | 1.75 tonnes per person | +3.3% |
| 1951 | 1.8 tonnes per person | +2.7% |
| 1952 | 1.88 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 1953 | 1.92 tonnes per person | +2.0% |
| 1954 | 1.86 tonnes per person | -3.0% |
| 1955 | 1.96 tonnes per person | +5.5% |
| 1956 | 1.94 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 1957 | 1.95 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1958 | 1.96 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 1.92 tonnes per person | -2.1% |
| 1960 | 1.74 tonnes per person | -9.6% |
| 1961 | 1.52 tonnes per person | -12.5% |
| 1962 | 1.42 tonnes per person | -6.9% |
| 1963 | 1.46 tonnes per person | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 1.36 tonnes per person | -6.6% |
| 1965 | 1.57 tonnes per person | +15.4% |
| 1966 | 1.7 tonnes per person | +7.9% |
| 1967 | 1.96 tonnes per person | +15.2% |
| 1968 | 1.85 tonnes per person | -5.5% |
| 1969 | 1.93 tonnes per person | +4.3% |
| 1970 | 1.66 tonnes per person | -14.0% |
| 1971 | 1.49 tonnes per person | -10.2% |
| 1972 | 1.44 tonnes per person | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 1.36 tonnes per person | -5.9% |
| 1974 | 1.9 tonnes per person | +40.3% |
| 1975 | 1.35 tonnes per person | -29.3% |
| 1976 | 0.2966 tonnes per person | -78.0% |
| 1977 | 0.3268 tonnes per person | +10.2% |
| 1978 | 0.8389 tonnes per person | +156.7% |
| 1979 | 0.4933 tonnes per person | -41.2% |
| 1980 | 0.6355 tonnes per person | +28.8% |
| 1981 | 0.4492 tonnes per person | -29.3% |
| 1982 | 0.3736 tonnes per person | -16.8% |
| 1983 | 0.7626 tonnes per person | +104.1% |
| 1984 | 0.7834 tonnes per person | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 0.5089 tonnes per person | -35.0% |
| 1986 | 1.41 tonnes per person | +176.6% |
| 1987 | 1.32 tonnes per person | -6.0% |
| 1988 | 0.7267 tonnes per person | -45.1% |
| 1989 | 1.02 tonnes per person | +41.0% |
| 1990 | 0.7937 tonnes per person | -22.5% |
| 1991 | 1.03 tonnes per person | +29.7% |
| 1992 | 0.8268 tonnes per person | -19.7% |
| 1993 | 0.6379 tonnes per person | -22.8% |
| 1994 | 0.5557 tonnes per person | -12.9% |
| 1995 | 0.5587 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 0.6218 tonnes per person | +11.3% |
| 1997 | 0.5629 tonnes per person | -9.5% |
| 1998 | 0.4389 tonnes per person | -22.0% |
| 1999 | 0.5396 tonnes per person | +22.9% |
| 2000 | 0.4638 tonnes per person | -14.0% |
| 2001 | 0.0282 tonnes per person | -93.9% |
| 2002 | 1.86 tonnes per person | +6493.4% |
| 2003 | 3.1 tonnes per person | +66.4% |
| 2004 | 2.32 tonnes per person | -25.0% |
| 2005 | 1.23 tonnes per person | -47.0% |
| 2006 | 3.24 tonnes per person | +162.9% |
| 2007 | 2.72 tonnes per person | -16.0% |
| 2008 | 1.59 tonnes per person | -41.4% |
| 2009 | 0.8575 tonnes per person | -46.1% |
| 2010 | 0.3462 tonnes per person | -59.6% |
| 2011 | -0.1956 tonnes per person | -156.5% |
| 2012 | -0.6066 tonnes per person | +210.0% |
| 2013 | 1.43 tonnes per person | -336.6% |
| 2014 | 0.1259 tonnes per person | -91.2% |
| 2015 | 3.54 tonnes per person | +2711.5% |
| 2016 | 4.48 tonnes per person | +26.7% |
| 2017 | 4.38 tonnes per person | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 2.74 tonnes per person | -37.4% |
| 2019 | 3.14 tonnes per person | +14.5% |
| 2020 | 3.23 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 3.2 tonnes per person | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 3.14 tonnes per person | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 3.03 tonnes per person | -3.7% |
| 2024 | 2.87 tonnes per person | -5.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2.87 tonnes per person is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.3182 tonnes per person, 9.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2.87 tonnes per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.7654 tonnes per person, 3.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Lesotho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +6493.4% | 0.0282 tonnes per person | 1.86 tonnes per person |
| 2015 | +2711.5% | 0.1259 tonnes per person | 3.54 tonnes per person |
| 2013 | +336.6% | -0.6066 tonnes per person | 1.43 tonnes per person |
| 2012 | -210.0% | -0.1956 tonnes per person | -0.6066 tonnes per person |
| 1986 | +176.6% | 0.5089 tonnes per person | 1.41 tonnes per person |
| 2006 | +162.9% | 1.23 tonnes per person | 3.24 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 0.6868 tonnes per person | 0.522 tonnes per person | 0.7729 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.8518 tonnes per person | 0.7979 tonnes per person | 0.8795 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.06 tonnes per person | 0.9406 tonnes per person | 1.12 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.07 tonnes per person | 1.04 tonnes per person | 1.1 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.13 tonnes per person | 1.06 tonnes per person | 1.16 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.54 tonnes per person | 1.29 tonnes per person | 1.65 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.74 tonnes per person | 1.69 tonnes per person | 1.76 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 2.1 tonnes per person | 1.88 tonnes per person | 2.16 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 4.08 tonnes per person | 2.84 tonnes per person | 4.64 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.53 tonnes per person | 1.7 tonnes per person | 3.93 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.9 tonnes per person | 1.75 tonnes per person | 1.96 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.65 tonnes per person | 1.36 tonnes per person | 1.96 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.11 tonnes per person | 0.2966 tonnes per person | 1.9 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7996 tonnes per person | 0.3736 tonnes per person | 1.41 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6565 tonnes per person | 0.4389 tonnes per person | 1.03 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.74 tonnes per person | 0.0282 tonnes per person | 3.24 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.94 tonnes per person | -0.6066 tonnes per person | 4.48 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1 tonnes per person | 2.87 tonnes per person | 3.23 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More climate change data for Lesotho
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 6.55 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 715.74 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,401 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 50.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 61.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 51.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 9.3 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1962 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Lesotho?
- Annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Lesotho was 2.87 tonnes per person in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 4.64 tonnes per person in 1939.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.6066 tonnes per person in 2012.
- How does Lesotho rank for annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita?
- Lesotho ranks 17th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2,183.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from land-use change, measured in tonnes per person.