Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Australia
Australia: Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre was 2,555 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2,555 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
139th
of 204 countries
All-time high
2,555 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
305.2 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Australia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Australia is 2,555 tonnes per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 25.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Australia peaked at 2,555 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 305.2 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Australia 139th out of 204 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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, per square kilometre in Australia, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 305.2 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 317.04 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1963 | 329.53 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1964 | 343.01 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1965 | 357.8 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1966 | 372.86 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1967 | 388.78 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1968 | 405.54 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1969 | 423.3 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1970 | 442.55 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 462.22 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1972 | 482.21 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 504.36 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1974 | 525.99 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 548.52 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1976 | 570.62 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1977 | 594.3 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1978 | 619.17 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 644.21 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 670.81 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 698.64 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 727.02 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 754.05 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 782.36 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 811.59 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 840.76 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 871.29 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 902.63 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 936.06 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 972.26 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 1,009 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 1,046 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 1,083 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 1,121 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 1,161 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 1,202 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 1,243 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 1,287 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 1,332 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 1,377 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 1,424 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 1,471 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 1,519 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 1,569 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 1,619 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 1,670 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 1,722 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 1,775 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 1,828 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 1,880 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 1,933 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 1,986 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 2,037 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 2,088 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 2,141 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 2,191 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 2,245 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 2,299 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 2,353 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 2,405 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 2,455 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 2,505 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 2,555 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 2,555 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 42,545 tonnes per square kilometre, 6% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Australia's 2,555 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,316 tonnes per square kilometre, 27% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 360.34 tonnes per square kilometre | 305.2 tonnes per square kilometre | 423.3 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 539.41 tonnes per square kilometre | 442.55 tonnes per square kilometre | 644.21 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 799.52 tonnes per square kilometre | 670.81 tonnes per square kilometre | 936.06 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,146 tonnes per square kilometre | 972.26 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,332 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,597 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,377 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,828 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,115 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,880 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,353 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,480 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,405 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,555 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 136 Samoa 2,706 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 137 Uruguay 2,678 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 138 Honduras 2,658 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 140 Eswatini 2,533 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 141 Lesotho 2,298 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 142 Algeria 2,216 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for Australia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 1.30 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 118,578 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 34,162 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 84,416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 128.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 3,015 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 12,473 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 10,966 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,507 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 41.38 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Australia?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Australia was 2,555 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2,555 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 305.2 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Australia rank for cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre?
- Australia ranks 139th out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Cumulative CO₂ emissions, 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 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 ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 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 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.