Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in North Korea
North Korea: Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre was 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
45,097 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
41st
of 204 countries
All-time high
45,097 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
2,320 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in North Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in North Korea is 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 11.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in North Korea peaked at 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2,320 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
North Korea ranks 41st of 204 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in North Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2,320 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 2,575 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.0% |
| 1963 | 2,848 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.6% |
| 1964 | 3,144 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.4% |
| 1965 | 3,511 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.7% |
| 1966 | 3,906 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.3% |
| 1967 | 4,341 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.1% |
| 1968 | 4,834 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.3% |
| 1969 | 5,366 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.0% |
| 1970 | 5,976 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.4% |
| 1971 | 6,868 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.9% |
| 1972 | 7,612 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.8% |
| 1973 | 8,420 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.6% |
| 1974 | 9,264 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.0% |
| 1975 | 10,158 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.6% |
| 1976 | 11,071 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.0% |
| 1977 | 12,015 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 1978 | 12,914 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1979 | 13,830 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 1980 | 14,777 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 1981 | 15,727 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1982 | 16,698 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 17,738 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1984 | 18,856 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1985 | 20,054 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1986 | 21,357 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 22,815 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1988 | 24,470 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1989 | 26,208 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 1990 | 27,191 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 28,128 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 28,942 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 29,686 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 30,363 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 30,995 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 31,546 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 32,074 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 32,562 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 33,095 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 33,670 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 34,265 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 34,835 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 35,417 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 36,013 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 36,636 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 37,268 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 37,796 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 38,380 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 38,942 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 39,484 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 39,882 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 40,270 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 40,570 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 40,901 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 41,161 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 41,445 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 42,024 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 42,544 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 43,121 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 43,666 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 44,114 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 44,582 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for low income countries, which is 282.47 tonnes per square kilometre, 159.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,316 tonnes per square kilometre, 4.8× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3,649 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,320 tonnes per square kilometre | 5,366 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 9,813 tonnes per square kilometre | 5,976 tonnes per square kilometre | 13,830 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 19,870 tonnes per square kilometre | 14,777 tonnes per square kilometre | 26,208 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 30,458 tonnes per square kilometre | 27,191 tonnes per square kilometre | 33,095 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 36,322 tonnes per square kilometre | 33,670 tonnes per square kilometre | 38,942 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 41,140 tonnes per square kilometre | 39,484 tonnes per square kilometre | 43,121 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 44,365 tonnes per square kilometre | 43,666 tonnes per square kilometre | 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 38 Hungary 56,365 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 39 Ukraine 53,666 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 40 United States 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 42 Slovenia 44,632 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 43 Jamaica 44,026 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 44 Moldova 41,088 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for North Korea
- Spring temperature anomalies 2.29 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.3103 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -2.22 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.2725 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6419 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate 27.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.9637 °C (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in North Korea?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in North Korea was 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,320 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does North Korea rank for cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre?
- North Korea ranks 41st out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea 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.