Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in United States
United States: Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre was 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
47,004 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
40th
of 204 countries
All-time high
47,004 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
13,345 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in United States, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in United States stood at 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in United States peaked at 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 13,345 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
United States ranks 40th of 204 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions, per square kilometre in United States, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 13,345 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 13,672 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 14,013 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 14,369 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 14,740 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 15,130 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 15,535 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 15,954 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 16,395 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 16,869 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 17,345 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 17,845 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 18,366 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 18,869 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 19,351 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 19,856 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 20,375 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 20,909 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 21,445 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 21,962 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 22,458 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 22,929 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 23,403 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 23,892 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 24,383 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 24,874 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 25,386 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 25,921 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 26,463 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 27,023 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 27,577 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 28,143 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 28,719 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 29,304 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 29,897 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 30,508 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 31,128 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 31,754 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 32,388 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 33,034 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 33,679 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 34,328 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 34,984 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 35,651 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 36,319 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 36,979 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 37,647 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 38,354 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 38,954 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 39,574 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 40,179 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 40,762 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 41,360 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 41,965 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 42,552 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 43,125 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 43,693 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 44,280 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 44,852 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 45,365 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 45,913 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 46,466 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 42,545 tonnes per square kilometre, 1.1× the median. (74 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14,795 tonnes per square kilometre | 13,345 tonnes per square kilometre | 16,395 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 19,123 tonnes per square kilometre | 16,869 tonnes per square kilometre | 21,445 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 24,167 tonnes per square kilometre | 21,962 tonnes per square kilometre | 26,463 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 29,644 tonnes per square kilometre | 27,023 tonnes per square kilometre | 32,388 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 35,993 tonnes per square kilometre | 33,034 tonnes per square kilometre | 38,954 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 42,234 tonnes per square kilometre | 39,574 tonnes per square kilometre | 44,852 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 46,187 tonnes per square kilometre | 45,365 tonnes per square kilometre | 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 37 Antigua and Barbuda 59,670 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 38 Hungary 56,365 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 39 Ukraine 53,666 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 41 North Korea 45,097 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 42 Slovenia 44,632 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 43 Jamaica 44,026 tonnes per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for United States
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 274,482 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 60,922 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 213,560 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 229.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7,627 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 107,381 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 89,068 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 18,313 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 336.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 654.05 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in United States?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre in United States was 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 47,004 tonnes per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,345 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does United States rank for cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre?
- United States ranks 40th out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions, per square kilometre rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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.