Cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Africa
South Africa: Cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change, per square was 24,114 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
24,114 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
79th
of 192 countries
All-time high
24,114 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
4,943 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Africa is 24,114 tonnes per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Africa peaked at 24,114 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4,943 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places South Africa 79th out of 192 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 including land-use change, per square in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4,943 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 5,089 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 5,234 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 5,384 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 5,540 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 5,703 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 5,876 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 6,053 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 6,236 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 6,424 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 6,627 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 6,833 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 7,038 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 7,245 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 7,456 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 7,673 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 7,893 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 8,112 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 8,342 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 8,581 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 8,845 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 9,127 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 9,419 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 9,729 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 10,061 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 10,391 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 10,722 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 11,069 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 11,417 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 11,742 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 12,086 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 12,413 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 12,745 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 13,090 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 13,458 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 13,823 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 14,203 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 14,574 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 14,942 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 15,305 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 15,660 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 15,995 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 16,365 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 16,770 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 17,141 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 17,541 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 17,962 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 18,400 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 18,813 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 19,210 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 19,609 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 19,999 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 20,382 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 20,783 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 21,163 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 21,542 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 21,904 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 22,278 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 22,668 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 23,029 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 23,394 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 23,750 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 24,114 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 24,114 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19,084 tonnes per square kilometre, 1.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 24,114 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6,476 tonnes per square kilometre, 3.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5,562 tonnes per square kilometre | 4,943 tonnes per square kilometre | 6,236 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 7,364 tonnes per square kilometre | 6,424 tonnes per square kilometre | 8,342 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 9,936 tonnes per square kilometre | 8,581 tonnes per square kilometre | 11,417 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 13,307 tonnes per square kilometre | 11,742 tonnes per square kilometre | 14,942 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 16,995 tonnes per square kilometre | 15,305 tonnes per square kilometre | 18,813 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 20,954 tonnes per square kilometre | 19,210 tonnes per square kilometre | 22,668 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 23,572 tonnes per square kilometre | 23,029 tonnes per square kilometre | 24,114 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 76 Turkey 24,714 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 77 Bosnia and Herzegovina 24,470 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 78 Palau 24,288 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 80 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 23,540 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 81 Ecuador 23,276 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 82 Finland 22,052 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 including land-use change, per square in South Africa?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square in South Africa was 24,114 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 Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 24,114 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,943 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square?
- South Africa ranks 79th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions including land-use change, per square rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.