Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Congo
Congo: Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change was 17.33 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
17.33 million tonnes
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
38th
of 197 countries
All-time high
83.93 million tonnes
in 1959
All-time low
-10.39 million tonnes
in 1919
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Congo, 1850–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Congo recorded 17.33 million tonnes for annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in 2024.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Congo peaked at 83.93 million tonnes in 1959 and was at its lowest, -10.39 million tonnes, in 1919.
Congo ranks 38th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Congo, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 3.05 million tonnes | — |
| 1851 | 2.23 million tonnes | -27.0% |
| 1852 | 1.74 million tonnes | -21.8% |
| 1853 | 1.44 million tonnes | -17.2% |
| 1854 | 1.33 million tonnes | -7.6% |
| 1855 | 1.08 million tonnes | -19.0% |
| 1856 | 930,510 tonnes | -13.8% |
| 1857 | 835,429 tonnes | -10.2% |
| 1858 | 528,459 tonnes | -36.7% |
| 1859 | 657,798 tonnes | +24.5% |
| 1860 | 6.07 million tonnes | +823.4% |
| 1861 | 8.38 million tonnes | +37.9% |
| 1862 | 9.46 million tonnes | +12.8% |
| 1863 | 10.19 million tonnes | +7.8% |
| 1864 | 10.79 million tonnes | +5.8% |
| 1865 | 11.20 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1866 | 11.56 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1867 | 11.87 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1868 | 12.13 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1869 | 12.34 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1870 | 15.14 million tonnes | +22.7% |
| 1871 | 16.66 million tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1872 | 17.50 million tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1873 | 18.24 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1874 | 18.59 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1875 | 18.70 million tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1876 | 18.84 million tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1877 | 19.67 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1878 | 19.93 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1879 | 19.77 million tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1880 | 19.02 million tonnes | -3.8% |
| 1881 | 18.67 million tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1882 | 18.54 million tonnes | -0.7% |
| 1883 | 18.28 million tonnes | -1.4% |
| 1884 | 18.43 million tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1885 | 18.35 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1886 | 18.49 million tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1887 | 18.17 million tonnes | -1.7% |
| 1888 | 18.36 million tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1889 | 18.60 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1890 | 10.01 million tonnes | -46.2% |
| 1891 | 6.49 million tonnes | -35.2% |
| 1892 | 4.08 million tonnes | -37.2% |
| 1893 | 2.57 million tonnes | -37.0% |
| 1894 | 1.36 million tonnes | -47.1% |
| 1895 | 524,502 tonnes | -61.4% |
| 1896 | -522,999 tonnes | -199.7% |
| 1897 | -1.15 million tonnes | +120.4% |
| 1898 | -1.96 million tonnes | +70.1% |
| 1899 | -2.48 million tonnes | +26.4% |
| 1900 | -3.24 million tonnes | +30.7% |
| 1901 | -4.06 million tonnes | +25.3% |
| 1902 | -4.84 million tonnes | +19.4% |
| 1903 | -5.65 million tonnes | +16.6% |
| 1904 | -6.39 million tonnes | +13.2% |
| 1905 | -6.84 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1906 | -7.56 million tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1907 | -8.09 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1908 | -8.85 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1909 | -9.24 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1910 | -9.31 million tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1911 | -9.64 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1912 | -9.55 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1913 | -9.70 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1914 | -9.79 million tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1915 | -10.03 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 1916 | -10.17 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1917 | -10.18 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1918 | -9.82 million tonnes | -3.5% |
| 1919 | -10.39 million tonnes | +5.9% |
| 1920 | 3.33 million tonnes | -132.1% |
| 1921 | 8.20 million tonnes | +145.9% |
| 1922 | 12.07 million tonnes | +47.3% |
| 1923 | 14.42 million tonnes | +19.4% |
| 1924 | 16.15 million tonnes | +12.0% |
| 1925 | 17.86 million tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1926 | 19.11 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1927 | 20.45 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1928 | 21.59 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1929 | 22.71 million tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1930 | 23.51 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1931 | 24.48 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1932 | 24.97 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1933 | 25.73 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1934 | 26.43 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1935 | 27.16 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1936 | 27.70 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1937 | 28.24 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1938 | 28.83 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1939 | 28.73 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1940 | 36.73 million tonnes | +27.9% |
| 1941 | 39.69 million tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1942 | 41.44 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1943 | 43.21 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1944 | 43.83 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1945 | 44.96 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1946 | 45.75 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1947 | 46.25 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1948 | 46.93 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1949 | 47.25 million tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1950 | 52.02 million tonnes | +10.1% |
| 1951 | 57.05 million tonnes | +9.7% |
| 1952 | 59.76 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1953 | 61.57 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1954 | 66.41 million tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1955 | 69.87 million tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1956 | 72.04 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1957 | 76.10 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1958 | 80.16 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1959 | 83.93 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1960 | 49.62 million tonnes | -40.9% |
| 1961 | 34.34 million tonnes | -30.8% |
| 1962 | 27.15 million tonnes | -20.9% |
| 1963 | 21.88 million tonnes | -19.4% |
| 1964 | 18.90 million tonnes | -13.6% |
| 1965 | 15.83 million tonnes | -16.2% |
| 1966 | 14.29 million tonnes | -9.7% |
| 1967 | 12.51 million tonnes | -12.4% |
| 1968 | 11.99 million tonnes | -4.2% |
| 1969 | 11.62 million tonnes | -3.1% |
| 1970 | 11.19 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1971 | 9.61 million tonnes | -14.1% |
| 1972 | 10.04 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1973 | 9.20 million tonnes | -8.3% |
| 1974 | 9.23 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 8.85 million tonnes | -4.1% |
| 1976 | 7.47 million tonnes | -15.5% |
| 1977 | 5.16 million tonnes | -30.9% |
| 1978 | 4.55 million tonnes | -11.9% |
| 1979 | 5.62 million tonnes | +23.6% |
| 1980 | 6.15 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1981 | 11.35 million tonnes | +84.5% |
| 1982 | 8.67 million tonnes | -23.6% |
| 1983 | 6.86 million tonnes | -20.9% |
| 1984 | 7.75 million tonnes | +13.0% |
| 1985 | 5.42 million tonnes | -30.1% |
| 1986 | 4.47 million tonnes | -17.5% |
| 1987 | 4.60 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 5.41 million tonnes | +17.8% |
| 1989 | 4.15 million tonnes | -23.4% |
| 1990 | 5.19 million tonnes | +25.2% |
| 1991 | 4.23 million tonnes | -18.6% |
| 1992 | 6.67 million tonnes | +57.7% |
| 1993 | 4.85 million tonnes | -27.3% |
| 1994 | 9.80 million tonnes | +102.2% |
| 1995 | 10.53 million tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1996 | 13.55 million tonnes | +28.7% |
| 1997 | 29.04 million tonnes | +114.3% |
| 1998 | 35.38 million tonnes | +21.8% |
| 1999 | 36.62 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 28.47 million tonnes | -22.3% |
| 2001 | 20.46 million tonnes | -28.1% |
| 2002 | 16.45 million tonnes | -19.6% |
| 2003 | 18.87 million tonnes | +14.7% |
| 2004 | 14.52 million tonnes | -23.0% |
| 2005 | 13.95 million tonnes | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 13.36 million tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 18.38 million tonnes | +37.6% |
| 2008 | 19.80 million tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 20.66 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 26.11 million tonnes | +26.3% |
| 2011 | 29.50 million tonnes | +13.0% |
| 2012 | 28.24 million tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 25.60 million tonnes | -9.3% |
| 2014 | 15.44 million tonnes | -39.7% |
| 2015 | 23.51 million tonnes | +52.2% |
| 2016 | 18.72 million tonnes | -20.4% |
| 2017 | 21.98 million tonnes | +17.5% |
| 2018 | 15.34 million tonnes | -30.2% |
| 2019 | 12.60 million tonnes | -17.9% |
| 2020 | 20.16 million tonnes | +60.1% |
| 2021 | 17.79 million tonnes | -11.8% |
| 2022 | 17.75 million tonnes | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 17.23 million tonnes | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 17.33 million tonnes | +0.6% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 17.33 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.54 million tonnes, 2.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 17.33 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.78 million tonnes, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change in 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | +823.4% | 657,798 tonnes | 6.07 million tonnes |
| 1896 | -199.7% | 524,502 tonnes | -522,999 tonnes |
| 1921 | +145.9% | 3.33 million tonnes | 8.20 million tonnes |
| 1920 | +132.1% | -10.39 million tonnes | 3.33 million tonnes |
| 1897 | -120.4% | -522,999 tonnes | -1.15 million tonnes |
| 1997 | +114.3% | 13.55 million tonnes | 29.04 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 1.38 million tonnes | 528,459 tonnes | 3.05 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1860s | 10.40 million tonnes | 6.07 million tonnes | 12.34 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1870s | 18.30 million tonnes | 15.14 million tonnes | 19.93 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1880s | 18.49 million tonnes | 18.17 million tonnes | 19.02 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.89 million tonnes | -2.48 million tonnes | 10.01 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1900s | -6.48 million tonnes | -9.24 million tonnes | -3.24 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1910s | -9.86 million tonnes | -10.39 million tonnes | -9.31 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1920s | 15.59 million tonnes | 3.33 million tonnes | 22.71 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 26.58 million tonnes | 23.51 million tonnes | 28.83 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 43.61 million tonnes | 36.73 million tonnes | 47.25 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 67.89 million tonnes | 52.02 million tonnes | 83.93 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 21.81 million tonnes | 11.62 million tonnes | 49.62 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.09 million tonnes | 4.55 million tonnes | 11.19 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.48 million tonnes | 4.15 million tonnes | 11.35 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.59 million tonnes | 4.23 million tonnes | 36.62 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.49 million tonnes | 13.36 million tonnes | 28.47 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.70 million tonnes | 12.60 million tonnes | 29.50 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.05 million tonnes | 17.23 million tonnes | 20.16 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More climate change data for Congo
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 226,333 kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 762.73 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 278.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 484.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1.05 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 13.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 6.62 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 6.61 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.025 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Congo?
- Annual co₂ emissions from land-use change in Congo was 17.33 million tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual co₂ emissions from land-use change recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 83.93 million tonnes in 1959.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from land-use change recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.39 million tonnes in 1919.
- How does Congo rank for annual co₂ emissions from land-use change?
- Congo ranks 38th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from land-use change rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual CO₂ emissions from land-use change. 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.