Cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Korea
South Korea: Cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change, per square was 208,934 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
208,934 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
13th
of 192 countries
All-time high
208,934 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
4,636 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Korea stood at 208,934 tonnes per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 43.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Korea peaked at 208,934 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4,636 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Korea ranks 13th of 192 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4,636 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 4,772 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 5,071 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1964 | 5,430 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 1965 | 5,771 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1966 | 6,140 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1967 | 6,555 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1968 | 6,964 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1969 | 7,420 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 1970 | 7,985 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.6% |
| 1971 | 8,574 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 1972 | 9,204 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1973 | 9,963 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1974 | 10,764 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1975 | 11,610 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.9% |
| 1976 | 12,565 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1977 | 13,645 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1978 | 14,805 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 1979 | 16,184 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.3% |
| 1980 | 17,568 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1981 | 19,013 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1982 | 20,467 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.6% |
| 1983 | 22,012 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1984 | 23,669 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1985 | 25,411 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 1986 | 27,242 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 29,157 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1988 | 31,341 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1989 | 33,665 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 1990 | 36,258 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 1991 | 39,079 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.8% |
| 1992 | 42,188 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1993 | 45,588 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 1994 | 49,255 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1995 | 53,183 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1996 | 57,510 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 1997 | 62,089 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1998 | 65,978 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 70,233 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 74,766 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 2001 | 79,224 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2002 | 84,063 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 2003 | 89,029 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 94,054 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2005 | 99,137 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 104,260 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 109,557 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 114,931 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 120,358 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 126,258 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 132,701 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2012 | 138,947 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 145,243 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 151,675 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 158,139 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 164,567 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 171,198 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2018 | 178,022 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 184,447 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 190,514 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 196,757 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 202,936 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 208,934 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 208,934 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 49,918 tonnes per square kilometre, 4.2× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 208,934 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 19,423 tonnes per square kilometre, 10.8× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5,862 tonnes per square kilometre | 4,636 tonnes per square kilometre | 7,420 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 11,530 tonnes per square kilometre | 7,985 tonnes per square kilometre | 16,184 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 24,954 tonnes per square kilometre | 17,568 tonnes per square kilometre | 33,665 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 52,136 tonnes per square kilometre | 36,258 tonnes per square kilometre | 70,233 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 96,938 tonnes per square kilometre | 74,766 tonnes per square kilometre | 120,358 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 155,120 tonnes per square kilometre | 126,258 tonnes per square kilometre | 184,447 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 199,785 tonnes per square kilometre | 190,514 tonnes per square kilometre | 208,934 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 10 Nauru 250,640 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 11 Qatar 214,653 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 12 Kuwait 210,236 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 14 Japan 202,758 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 15 Czechia 154,683 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 16 Barbados 146,076 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for South Korea
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.1 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7164 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.8996 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.1285 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1214 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8117 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -78.08 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Korea?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Korea was 208,934 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 208,934 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,636 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Korea rank for cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square?
- South Korea ranks 13th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change, 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 including land-use change 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 including land-use change ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change 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 including land-use change 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.