Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Zambia
Zambia: Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change per capita was 2.94 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.94 tonnes per person
Change on year
down 5.2%
World rank
15th
of 194 countries
All-time high
24.82 tonnes per person
in 1960
All-time low
2.94 tonnes per person
in 2024
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Zambia, 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
In 2024, annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Zambia stood at 2.94 tonnes per person. That is the lowest value across all 175 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.2% on the previous year and down 45.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Zambia peaked at 24.82 tonnes per person in 1960 and was at its lowest, 2.94 tonnes per person, in 2024.
Zambia ranks 15th of 194 countries on this measure, 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 9.06 tonnes per person | — |
| 1851 | 8.17 tonnes per person | -9.8% |
| 1852 | 7.68 tonnes per person | -6.1% |
| 1853 | 7.58 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 1854 | 7.24 tonnes per person | -4.4% |
| 1855 | 7.02 tonnes per person | -3.0% |
| 1856 | 6.84 tonnes per person | -2.6% |
| 1857 | 6.77 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 1858 | 6.6 tonnes per person | -2.5% |
| 1859 | 6.5 tonnes per person | -1.5% |
| 1860 | 6.42 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 1861 | 6.3 tonnes per person | -1.8% |
| 1862 | 6.2 tonnes per person | -1.5% |
| 1863 | 6.14 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1864 | 6.06 tonnes per person | -1.2% |
| 1865 | 6.1 tonnes per person | +0.6% |
| 1866 | 5.98 tonnes per person | -1.8% |
| 1867 | 5.92 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 1868 | 5.92 tonnes per person | -0.1% |
| 1869 | 5.86 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
| 1870 | 5.87 tonnes per person | +0.1% |
| 1871 | 5.85 tonnes per person | -0.3% |
| 1872 | 5.91 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 1873 | 6 tonnes per person | +1.5% |
| 1874 | 5.93 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1875 | 5.88 tonnes per person | -0.8% |
| 1876 | 5.89 tonnes per person | +0.2% |
| 1877 | 5.87 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 1878 | 5.86 tonnes per person | -0.2% |
| 1879 | 5.91 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1880 | 6.36 tonnes per person | +7.7% |
| 1881 | 6.63 tonnes per person | +4.3% |
| 1882 | 6.83 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 1883 | 7.15 tonnes per person | +4.7% |
| 1884 | 7.15 tonnes per person | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 7.22 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 1886 | 7.31 tonnes per person | +1.2% |
| 1887 | 7.66 tonnes per person | +4.8% |
| 1888 | 7.58 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1889 | 7.57 tonnes per person | -0.1% |
| 1890 | 7.01 tonnes per person | -7.3% |
| 1891 | 6.66 tonnes per person | -5.1% |
| 1892 | 6.41 tonnes per person | -3.6% |
| 1893 | 6.23 tonnes per person | -2.8% |
| 1894 | 6.09 tonnes per person | -2.3% |
| 1895 | 5.98 tonnes per person | -1.9% |
| 1896 | 5.88 tonnes per person | -1.6% |
| 1897 | 5.79 tonnes per person | -1.4% |
| 1898 | 5.72 tonnes per person | -1.2% |
| 1899 | 5.66 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 1900 | 5.43 tonnes per person | -4.1% |
| 1901 | 5.2 tonnes per person | -4.4% |
| 1902 | 4.97 tonnes per person | -4.3% |
| 1903 | 4.76 tonnes per person | -4.2% |
| 1904 | 4.57 tonnes per person | -4.1% |
| 1905 | 4.38 tonnes per person | -4.0% |
| 1906 | 4.21 tonnes per person | -4.0% |
| 1907 | 4.04 tonnes per person | -3.9% |
| 1908 | 3.89 tonnes per person | -3.8% |
| 1909 | 3.74 tonnes per person | -3.7% |
| 1910 | 3.7 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1911 | 3.68 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 1912 | 3.66 tonnes per person | -0.6% |
| 1913 | 3.64 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 1914 | 3.63 tonnes per person | -0.3% |
| 1915 | 3.61 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 1916 | 3.6 tonnes per person | -0.3% |
| 1917 | 3.59 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 1918 | 3.56 tonnes per person | -0.8% |
| 1919 | 3.51 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 1920 | 8.67 tonnes per person | +146.6% |
| 1921 | 11.57 tonnes per person | +33.6% |
| 1922 | 13.47 tonnes per person | +16.4% |
| 1923 | 14.76 tonnes per person | +9.6% |
| 1924 | 15.68 tonnes per person | +6.2% |
| 1925 | 16.35 tonnes per person | +4.3% |
| 1926 | 16.85 tonnes per person | +3.1% |
| 1927 | 17.22 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 1928 | 17.49 tonnes per person | +1.6% |
| 1929 | 17.68 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 1930 | 18.14 tonnes per person | +2.6% |
| 1931 | 18.37 tonnes per person | +1.3% |
| 1932 | 18.51 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1933 | 18.89 tonnes per person | +2.1% |
| 1934 | 18.71 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 1935 | 18.63 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 1936 | 18.61 tonnes per person | -0.1% |
| 1937 | 19.05 tonnes per person | +2.4% |
| 1938 | 18.81 tonnes per person | -1.2% |
| 1939 | 18.6 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1940 | 21.14 tonnes per person | +13.6% |
| 1941 | 22.61 tonnes per person | +7.0% |
| 1942 | 23.11 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 1943 | 23.34 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 1944 | 23.53 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1945 | 23.85 tonnes per person | +1.3% |
| 1946 | 23.5 tonnes per person | -1.5% |
| 1947 | 23.72 tonnes per person | +0.9% |
| 1948 | 23.66 tonnes per person | -0.3% |
| 1949 | 23.65 tonnes per person | -0.0% |
| 1950 | 21.42 tonnes per person | -9.5% |
| 1951 | 20.91 tonnes per person | -2.4% |
| 1952 | 21.65 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1953 | 21.84 tonnes per person | +0.9% |
| 1954 | 21.65 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
| 1955 | 22.33 tonnes per person | +3.1% |
| 1956 | 22.9 tonnes per person | +2.5% |
| 1957 | 23.56 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 23.92 tonnes per person | +1.5% |
| 1959 | 24.79 tonnes per person | +3.7% |
| 1960 | 24.82 tonnes per person | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 19.74 tonnes per person | -20.5% |
| 1962 | 16.22 tonnes per person | -17.8% |
| 1963 | 14.71 tonnes per person | -9.3% |
| 1964 | 13.35 tonnes per person | -9.2% |
| 1965 | 13.67 tonnes per person | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 13.59 tonnes per person | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 12.44 tonnes per person | -8.5% |
| 1968 | 12.38 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 12.13 tonnes per person | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 14.85 tonnes per person | +22.4% |
| 1971 | 14.94 tonnes per person | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 11.82 tonnes per person | -20.9% |
| 1973 | 11.49 tonnes per person | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 10.19 tonnes per person | -11.4% |
| 1975 | 8.91 tonnes per person | -12.5% |
| 1976 | 7.96 tonnes per person | -10.7% |
| 1977 | 6.39 tonnes per person | -19.7% |
| 1978 | 3.46 tonnes per person | -45.8% |
| 1979 | 4.23 tonnes per person | +22.2% |
| 1980 | 5.29 tonnes per person | +24.9% |
| 1981 | 5.56 tonnes per person | +5.1% |
| 1982 | 6.14 tonnes per person | +10.5% |
| 1983 | 6.28 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 6.6 tonnes per person | +5.2% |
| 1985 | 6.74 tonnes per person | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 6.87 tonnes per person | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 6.48 tonnes per person | -5.7% |
| 1988 | 7.23 tonnes per person | +11.6% |
| 1989 | 6.26 tonnes per person | -13.4% |
| 1990 | 5.08 tonnes per person | -18.9% |
| 1991 | 6.31 tonnes per person | +24.0% |
| 1992 | 6.5 tonnes per person | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 7.17 tonnes per person | +10.4% |
| 1994 | 7.25 tonnes per person | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 6.79 tonnes per person | -6.3% |
| 1996 | 5.87 tonnes per person | -13.6% |
| 1997 | 6.39 tonnes per person | +8.9% |
| 1998 | 5.91 tonnes per person | -7.5% |
| 1999 | 5.25 tonnes per person | -11.2% |
| 2000 | 4.79 tonnes per person | -8.7% |
| 2001 | 5.98 tonnes per person | +24.6% |
| 2002 | 8.11 tonnes per person | +35.6% |
| 2003 | 6.73 tonnes per person | -17.0% |
| 2004 | 6.18 tonnes per person | -8.1% |
| 2005 | 8.08 tonnes per person | +30.6% |
| 2006 | 6.71 tonnes per person | -16.9% |
| 2007 | 8.06 tonnes per person | +20.0% |
| 2008 | 10.72 tonnes per person | +33.0% |
| 2009 | 8.42 tonnes per person | -21.4% |
| 2010 | 8.81 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 8.88 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 7.04 tonnes per person | -20.7% |
| 2013 | 5.97 tonnes per person | -15.2% |
| 2014 | 5.36 tonnes per person | -10.2% |
| 2015 | 4.95 tonnes per person | -7.6% |
| 2016 | 5.14 tonnes per person | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 4.97 tonnes per person | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 4.4 tonnes per person | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 3.95 tonnes per person | -10.2% |
| 2020 | 3.58 tonnes per person | -9.3% |
| 2021 | 3.38 tonnes per person | -5.6% |
| 2022 | 3.25 tonnes per person | -4.0% |
| 2023 | 3.1 tonnes per person | -4.7% |
| 2024 | 2.94 tonnes per person | -5.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 2.94 tonnes per person is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.3182 tonnes per person, 9.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 2.94 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 Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | +146.6% | 3.51 tonnes per person | 8.67 tonnes per person |
| 1978 | -45.8% | 6.39 tonnes per person | 3.46 tonnes per person |
| 2002 | +35.6% | 5.98 tonnes per person | 8.11 tonnes per person |
| 1921 | +33.6% | 8.67 tonnes per person | 11.57 tonnes per person |
| 2008 | +33.0% | 8.06 tonnes per person | 10.72 tonnes per person |
| 2005 | +30.6% | 6.18 tonnes per person | 8.08 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 7.35 tonnes per person | 6.5 tonnes per person | 9.06 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 6.09 tonnes per person | 5.86 tonnes per person | 6.42 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 5.9 tonnes per person | 5.85 tonnes per person | 6 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 7.15 tonnes per person | 6.36 tonnes per person | 7.66 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 6.14 tonnes per person | 5.66 tonnes per person | 7.01 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 4.52 tonnes per person | 3.74 tonnes per person | 5.43 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 3.62 tonnes per person | 3.51 tonnes per person | 3.7 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 14.97 tonnes per person | 8.67 tonnes per person | 17.68 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 18.63 tonnes per person | 18.14 tonnes per person | 19.05 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 23.21 tonnes per person | 21.14 tonnes per person | 23.85 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 22.49 tonnes per person | 20.91 tonnes per person | 24.79 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 15.3 tonnes per person | 12.13 tonnes per person | 24.82 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.43 tonnes per person | 3.46 tonnes per person | 14.94 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.34 tonnes per person | 5.29 tonnes per person | 7.23 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.25 tonnes per person | 5.08 tonnes per person | 7.25 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.38 tonnes per person | 4.79 tonnes per person | 10.72 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.95 tonnes per person | 3.95 tonnes per person | 8.88 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.25 tonnes per person | 2.94 tonnes per person | 3.58 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More climate change data for Zambia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 303.19 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,795 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,752 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.55 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 169.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,153 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,033 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 120.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.67 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Zambia?
- Annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita in Zambia was 2.94 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.82 tonnes per person in 1960.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.94 tonnes per person in 2024.
- How does Zambia rank for annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita?
- Zambia ranks 15th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change per capita rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.