Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre was 18,455 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
18,455 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
73rd
of 204 countries
All-time high
18,455 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
1,998 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 18,455 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 2.0% on the previous year and up 25.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 18,455 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,998 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 73rd of 204 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1,998 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 2,085 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1963 | 2,176 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1964 | 2,274 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1965 | 2,380 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1966 | 2,486 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1967 | 2,596 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1968 | 2,710 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1969 | 2,828 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1970 | 2,951 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 3,090 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1972 | 3,231 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 3,374 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1974 | 3,520 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 3,672 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1976 | 3,831 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 3,996 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1978 | 4,162 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 4,343 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1980 | 4,531 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1981 | 4,743 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 4,974 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1983 | 5,214 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 5,475 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 5,742 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1986 | 6,014 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1987 | 6,285 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 6,567 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 6,848 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 7,106 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 7,375 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 7,623 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 7,887 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1994 | 8,167 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 8,465 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 8,765 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 9,082 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 9,393 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 9,702 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 10,014 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 10,320 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 10,614 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 10,948 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 11,318 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 11,661 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 12,030 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 12,413 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 12,821 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 13,212 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 13,597 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 13,988 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 14,368 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 14,744 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 15,142 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 15,519 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 15,895 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 16,258 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 16,632 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 17,020 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 17,379 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 17,741 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 18,095 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 18,455 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 18,455 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10,301 tonnes per square kilometre, 1.8× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 18,455 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 582.93 tonnes per square kilometre, 31.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,393 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,998 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,828 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 3,617 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,951 tonnes per square kilometre | 4,343 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 5,639 tonnes per square kilometre | 4,531 tonnes per square kilometre | 6,848 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 8,357 tonnes per square kilometre | 7,106 tonnes per square kilometre | 9,702 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 11,535 tonnes per square kilometre | 10,014 tonnes per square kilometre | 13,212 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 15,316 tonnes per square kilometre | 13,597 tonnes per square kilometre | 17,020 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 17,917 tonnes per square kilometre | 17,379 tonnes per square kilometre | 18,455 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 70 Malaysia 20,552 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 71 Bosnia and Herzegovina 20,001 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 72 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 19,772 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 74 Bahamas 17,731 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 75 Dominican Republic 17,346 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 76 Cuba 17,242 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in South Africa was 18,455 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 18,455 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,998 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 73rd out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.