Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre was 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
8,526 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 3.8%
World rank
103rd
of 204 countries
All-time high
8,526 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
66.9 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia stood at 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 55.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia peaked at 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 66.9 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
Saudi Arabia ranks 103rd of 204 countries on this measure, 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 66.9 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 69.81 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1963 | 73.04 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1964 | 76.31 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1965 | 78.28 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 81.26 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1967 | 93.11 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.6% |
| 1968 | 106.64 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.5% |
| 1969 | 123.05 tonnes per square kilometre | +15.4% |
| 1970 | 144.1 tonnes per square kilometre | +17.1% |
| 1971 | 171.89 tonnes per square kilometre | +19.3% |
| 1972 | 204.59 tonnes per square kilometre | +19.0% |
| 1973 | 248.81 tonnes per square kilometre | +21.6% |
| 1974 | 294.72 tonnes per square kilometre | +18.5% |
| 1975 | 333.45 tonnes per square kilometre | +13.1% |
| 1976 | 380.65 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.2% |
| 1977 | 435.57 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.4% |
| 1978 | 489.07 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.3% |
| 1979 | 553.27 tonnes per square kilometre | +13.1% |
| 1980 | 632 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.2% |
| 1981 | 713.54 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.9% |
| 1982 | 786.98 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.3% |
| 1983 | 861.79 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.5% |
| 1984 | 934.12 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 1,014 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1986 | 1,109 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.4% |
| 1987 | 1,198 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1988 | 1,292 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.9% |
| 1989 | 1,387 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1990 | 1,471 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 1,585 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 1992 | 1,714 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 1993 | 1,852 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 1994 | 1,988 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1995 | 2,115 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 2,241 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1997 | 2,346 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 2,448 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 2,559 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 2,703 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 2,854 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 3,015 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2003 | 3,178 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 3,368 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 3,560 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 3,767 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 3,964 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2008 | 4,182 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 4,417 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 4,675 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 2011 | 4,926 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 5,208 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 5,479 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 5,752 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 6,042 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 6,340 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 6,640 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 6,944 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 7,273 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 7,577 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2021 | 7,901 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 8,211 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 42,545 tonnes per square kilometre, 20% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 8,674 tonnes per square kilometre, 98% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 85.38 tonnes per square kilometre | 66.9 tonnes per square kilometre | 123.05 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 325.61 tonnes per square kilometre | 144.1 tonnes per square kilometre | 553.27 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 992.91 tonnes per square kilometre | 632 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,387 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,032 tonnes per square kilometre | 1,471 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,559 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,501 tonnes per square kilometre | 2,703 tonnes per square kilometre | 4,417 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 5,928 tonnes per square kilometre | 4,675 tonnes per square kilometre | 7,273 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 8,054 tonnes per square kilometre | 7,577 tonnes per square kilometre | 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 100 Venezuela 8,810 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 101 Indonesia 8,775 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 102 Jordan 8,674 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 104 Turks and Caicos Islands 7,607 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 105 Norway 7,550 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 106 New Zealand 7,519 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for Saudi Arabia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 134.54 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,043 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,830 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,213 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 79.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,002 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 15.05 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3.78 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia was 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 8,526 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.9 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 103rd out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 55.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.