Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Iraq
Iraq: Cumulative CO₂ emissions was 5.35 billion tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
5.35 billion tonnes
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
41st
of 215 countries
All-time high
5.35 billion tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
139,232 tonnes
in 1927
Years of data
98
1927–2024
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Iraq, 1927–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Iraq recorded 5.35 billion tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions in 2024. That is the highest value across all 98 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.6% on the previous year and up 54.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions in Iraq peaked at 5.35 billion tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 139,232 tonnes, in 1927.
Iraq ranks 41st of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Iraq, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1927 | 139,232 tonnes | — |
| 1928 | 428,688 tonnes | +207.9% |
| 1929 | 798,752 tonnes | +86.3% |
| 1930 | 1.17 million tonnes | +46.3% |
| 1931 | 1.54 million tonnes | +31.3% |
| 1932 | 1.91 million tonnes | +24.3% |
| 1933 | 2.26 million tonnes | +18.4% |
| 1934 | 5.13 million tonnes | +126.7% |
| 1935 | 10.85 million tonnes | +111.7% |
| 1936 | 16.64 million tonnes | +53.4% |
| 1937 | 22.89 million tonnes | +37.5% |
| 1938 | 28.80 million tonnes | +25.9% |
| 1939 | 40.96 million tonnes | +42.2% |
| 1940 | 48.65 million tonnes | +18.8% |
| 1941 | 53.46 million tonnes | +9.9% |
| 1942 | 61.42 million tonnes | +14.9% |
| 1943 | 72.38 million tonnes | +17.8% |
| 1944 | 85.15 million tonnes | +17.6% |
| 1945 | 99.28 million tonnes | +16.6% |
| 1946 | 113.64 million tonnes | +14.5% |
| 1947 | 128.06 million tonnes | +12.7% |
| 1948 | 128.06 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 129.19 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1950 | 130.84 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1951 | 133.27 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1952 | 135.23 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1953 | 137.76 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1954 | 140.81 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 144.90 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1956 | 151.30 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1957 | 157.27 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1958 | 163.94 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1959 | 171.25 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1960 | 179.50 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1961 | 188.21 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1962 | 197.24 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1963 | 206.62 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1964 | 215.68 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1965 | 234.98 million tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1966 | 262.65 million tonnes | +11.8% |
| 1967 | 281.02 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1968 | 300.72 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1969 | 323.32 million tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1970 | 347.21 million tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1971 | 376.04 million tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1972 | 405.56 million tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1973 | 436.17 million tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1974 | 467.08 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 500.20 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1976 | 548.95 million tonnes | +9.7% |
| 1977 | 592.60 million tonnes | +8.0% |
| 1978 | 634.85 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1979 | 687.76 million tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1980 | 733.24 million tonnes | +6.6% |
| 1981 | 765.28 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 795.82 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1983 | 834.47 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 874.54 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1985 | 919.07 million tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 966.66 million tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1987 | 1.02 billion tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1988 | 1.09 billion tonnes | +6.6% |
| 1989 | 1.16 billion tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 1.21 billion tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 1.26 billion tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 1.31 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1993 | 1.38 billion tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1994 | 1.45 billion tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1995 | 1.53 billion tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 1.61 billion tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 1.69 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 1.77 billion tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 1.85 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 1.93 billion tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 2.03 billion tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 2.13 billion tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 2.23 billion tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 2.34 billion tonnes | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 2.45 billion tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 2.55 billion tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 2.61 billion tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 2.71 billion tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 2.81 billion tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 2.93 billion tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 3.05 billion tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 3.19 billion tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 3.33 billion tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 3.47 billion tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 3.61 billion tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 3.76 billion tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 3.93 billion tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 4.11 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 4.31 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 4.48 billion tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 4.67 billion tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 4.89 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 5.12 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2024 | 5.35 billion tonnes | +4.6% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 5.35 billion tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 827.42 million tonnes, 6.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 5.35 billion tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.06 billion tonnes, 2.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Iraq 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | +207.9% | 139,232 tonnes | 428,688 tonnes |
| 1934 | +126.7% | 2.26 million tonnes | 5.13 million tonnes |
| 1935 | +111.7% | 5.13 million tonnes | 10.85 million tonnes |
| 1929 | +86.3% | 428,688 tonnes | 798,752 tonnes |
| 1936 | +53.4% | 10.85 million tonnes | 16.64 million tonnes |
| 1930 | +46.3% | 798,752 tonnes | 1.17 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 455,557 tonnes | 139,232 tonnes | 798,752 tonnes | 3 |
| 1930s | 13.21 million tonnes | 1.17 million tonnes | 40.96 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 91.93 million tonnes | 48.65 million tonnes | 129.19 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 146.66 million tonnes | 130.84 million tonnes | 171.25 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 239.00 million tonnes | 179.50 million tonnes | 323.32 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 499.64 million tonnes | 347.21 million tonnes | 687.76 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 915.55 million tonnes | 733.24 million tonnes | 1.16 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.51 billion tonnes | 1.21 billion tonnes | 1.85 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.38 billion tonnes | 1.93 billion tonnes | 2.81 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.57 billion tonnes | 2.93 billion tonnes | 4.31 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.90 billion tonnes | 4.48 billion tonnes | 5.35 billion tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More climate change data for Iraq
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 672.48 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 10,634 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,750 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 6,884 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14.15 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 245.84 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,859 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 4,294 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,565 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 16.21 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions in Iraq?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions in Iraq was 5.35 billion tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 5.35 billion tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 139,232 tonnes in 1927.
- How does Iraq rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?
- Iraq ranks 41st out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cumulative CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 98 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, since the first year of available data, measured in tonnes.