Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre was 1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
4th
of 204 countries
All-time high
1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
25,429 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Hong Kong, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
Hong Kong recorded 1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre for cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre 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 29.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Hong Kong peaked at 1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 25,429 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
Hong Kong ranks 4th of 204 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, per square kilometre in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 25,429 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 29,038 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.2% |
| 1963 | 33,201 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.3% |
| 1964 | 37,338 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.5% |
| 1965 | 42,046 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.6% |
| 1966 | 47,107 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.0% |
| 1967 | 53,040 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.6% |
| 1968 | 59,116 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.5% |
| 1969 | 66,716 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.9% |
| 1970 | 74,944 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.3% |
| 1971 | 83,915 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.0% |
| 1972 | 93,009 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.8% |
| 1973 | 102,113 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.8% |
| 1974 | 112,572 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.2% |
| 1975 | 124,585 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.7% |
| 1976 | 136,951 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.9% |
| 1977 | 152,525 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.4% |
| 1978 | 168,239 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.3% |
| 1979 | 184,077 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.4% |
| 1980 | 200,677 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.0% |
| 1981 | 219,294 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.3% |
| 1982 | 241,329 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.0% |
| 1983 | 262,453 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.8% |
| 1984 | 284,902 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1985 | 308,015 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 1986 | 333,799 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 1987 | 362,168 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 1988 | 391,748 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1989 | 422,194 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.8% |
| 1990 | 449,616 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 1991 | 478,367 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 511,621 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1993 | 546,750 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 578,143 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1995 | 574,889 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 602,420 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 631,465 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 668,536 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 709,059 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 2000 | 746,931 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 782,444 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 819,590 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 860,289 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 899,486 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 940,757 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 980,676 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 1.02 million tonnes per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 1.06 million tonnes per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 1.10 million tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 1.14 million tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 1.18 million tonnes per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 1.22 million tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 1.26 million tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 1.31 million tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 1.35 million tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 1.39 million tonnes per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 1.43 million tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 1.47 million tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 1.51 million tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 1.54 million tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 1.57 million tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 1.60 million tonnes per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 42,545 tonnes per square kilometre, 38.4× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,316 tonnes per square kilometre, 175.5× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 43,670 tonnes per square kilometre | 25,429 tonnes per square kilometre | 66,716 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 123,293 tonnes per square kilometre | 74,944 tonnes per square kilometre | 184,077 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 302,658 tonnes per square kilometre | 200,677 tonnes per square kilometre | 422,194 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 575,087 tonnes per square kilometre | 449,616 tonnes per square kilometre | 709,059 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 921,780 tonnes per square kilometre | 746,931 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.10 million tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.33 million tonnes per square kilometre | 1.14 million tonnes per square kilometre | 1.51 million tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.59 million tonnes per square kilometre | 1.54 million tonnes per square kilometre | 1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
- 1 Singapore 3.06 million tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 2 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 1.81 million tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 3 Macao 1.71 million tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 5 Bahrain 1.34 million tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 6 Curacao 1.19 million tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 7 Bermuda 564,352 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for Hong Kong
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.42 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.441 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.2868 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.0% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.3349 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.3349 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 1 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -76.56 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Hong Kong?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Hong Kong was 1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 1.64 million tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,429 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Hong Kong rank for cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre?
- Hong Kong ranks 4th out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong 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.