Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre was 329,709 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
329,709 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
12th
of 204 countries
All-time high
329,709 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
190,003 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in United Kingdom, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in United Kingdom stood at 329,709 tonnes per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in United Kingdom peaked at 329,709 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 190,003 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places United Kingdom 12th out of 204 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
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 United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 190,003 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 192,454 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 194,948 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 197,460 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 200,032 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 202,586 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 205,034 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 207,541 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 210,138 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 212,836 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 215,565 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 218,244 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 220,970 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 223,521 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 226,015 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 228,489 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 230,987 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 233,487 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 236,151 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 238,544 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 240,861 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 243,127 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 245,382 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 247,569 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 249,882 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 252,232 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 254,595 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 256,952 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 259,356 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 261,844 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 264,363 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 266,817 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 269,213 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 271,586 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 273,926 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 276,351 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 278,677 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 281,027 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 283,349 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 285,701 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 288,090 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 290,406 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 292,769 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 295,139 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 297,496 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 299,843 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 302,156 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 304,409 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 306,451 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 308,567 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 310,508 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 312,523 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 314,498 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 316,311 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 318,058 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 319,709 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 321,310 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 322,879 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 324,387 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 325,736 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 327,151 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 328,437 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 329,709 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 329,709 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 42,545 tonnes per square kilometre, 7.7× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 329,709 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 32,173 tonnes per square kilometre, 10.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 200,022 tonnes per square kilometre | 190,003 tonnes per square kilometre | 210,138 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 224,626 tonnes per square kilometre | 212,836 tonnes per square kilometre | 236,151 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 248,850 tonnes per square kilometre | 238,544 tonnes per square kilometre | 259,356 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 272,715 tonnes per square kilometre | 261,844 tonnes per square kilometre | 283,349 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 296,246 tonnes per square kilometre | 285,701 tonnes per square kilometre | 306,451 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 316,875 tonnes per square kilometre | 308,567 tonnes per square kilometre | 324,387 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 327,758 tonnes per square kilometre | 325,736 tonnes per square kilometre | 329,709 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 9 Aruba 415,822 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 10 Netherlands 360,763 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 11 Malta 342,169 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 13 Trinidad and Tobago 326,782 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 14 Luxembourg 301,419 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 15 Germany 270,622 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in United Kingdom?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre in United Kingdom was 329,709 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 329,709 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 190,003 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does United Kingdom rank for cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre?
- United Kingdom ranks 12th out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions by world region, per square kilometre rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.