Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in New Zealand
New Zealand: Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre was 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
7,519 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
106th
of 204 countries
All-time high
7,519 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
1,378 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in New Zealand, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in New Zealand is 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in New Zealand peaked at 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,378 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places New Zealand 106th out of 204 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1,378 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1,420 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1963 | 1,466 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 1,516 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 1,568 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 1,621 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 1,673 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 1,724 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 1,778 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 1,832 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 1,889 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 1,951 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1973 | 2,020 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 2,091 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 2,161 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 2,234 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1977 | 2,311 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 2,379 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 2,442 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 2,508 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 2,571 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 2,641 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 2,709 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 2,782 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 2,865 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 2,953 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 3,044 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 3,141 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 3,238 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 3,335 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 3,434 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 3,541 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 3,646 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 3,752 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 3,858 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 3,970 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 4,088 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 4,202 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 4,321 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 4,443 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 4,574 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 4,705 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 4,843 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 4,979 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 5,121 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 5,262 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 5,400 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 5,543 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 5,674 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 5,806 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 5,936 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 6,073 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 6,207 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 6,341 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 6,477 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 6,607 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 6,742 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 6,878 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 7,017 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 7,147 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 7,278 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 7,399 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.6% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 42,545 tonnes per square kilometre, 18% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,316 tonnes per square kilometre, 81% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,572 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,378 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,778 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 2,131 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,832 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,442 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,845 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,508 tonnes per square kilometre | 3,238 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 3,815 tonnes per square kilometre | 3,335 tonnes per square kilometre | 4,321 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,054 tonnes per square kilometre | 4,443 tonnes per square kilometre | 5,674 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,408 tonnes per square kilometre | 5,806 tonnes per square kilometre | 7,017 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 7,336 tonnes per square kilometre | 7,147 tonnes per square kilometre | 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 103 Saudi Arabia 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 104 Turks and Caicos Islands 7,607 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 105 Norway 7,550 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 107 Russia 7,390 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 108 Egypt 7,246 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 109 Pakistan 7,213 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for New Zealand
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 113.13 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 46,323 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,983 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 34,340 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 45.22 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,226 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 694.4 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 691.2 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3.2 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2.61 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in New Zealand?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in New Zealand was 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,378 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does New Zealand rank for cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre?
- New Zealand ranks 106th out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.