emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre was 113.54 tonnes per square kilometre in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
113.54 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
8th
of 207 countries
All-time high
146.53 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2001
All-time low
24.98 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1968
Years of data
62
1961–2022
emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Hong Kong, 1961–2022
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2022, emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Hong Kong stood at 113.54 tonnes per square kilometre.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Hong Kong peaked at 146.53 tonnes per square kilometre in 2001 and was at its lowest, 24.98 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1968.
That places Hong Kong 8th out of 207 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 25.75 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 26.12 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 27.82 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 1964 | 25.55 tonnes per square kilometre | -8.2% |
| 1965 | 26.39 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 25.98 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 1967 | 27.51 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1968 | 24.98 tonnes per square kilometre | -9.2% |
| 1969 | 27.5 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.1% |
| 1970 | 26.05 tonnes per square kilometre | -5.3% |
| 1971 | 26.03 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 27.33 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1973 | 30.06 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.0% |
| 1974 | 27.93 tonnes per square kilometre | -7.1% |
| 1975 | 26.87 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.8% |
| 1976 | 29.07 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1977 | 31.85 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.6% |
| 1978 | 36.1 tonnes per square kilometre | +13.3% |
| 1979 | 44.29 tonnes per square kilometre | +22.7% |
| 1980 | 48.5 tonnes per square kilometre | +9.5% |
| 1981 | 57.04 tonnes per square kilometre | +17.6% |
| 1982 | 61.2 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1983 | 58.31 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.7% |
| 1984 | 55.22 tonnes per square kilometre | -5.3% |
| 1985 | 55.69 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 59.35 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 1987 | 60.24 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 69.19 tonnes per square kilometre | +14.9% |
| 1989 | 72.25 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 74.68 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 76.03 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 81.19 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1993 | 83.83 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 85.25 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 81.43 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.5% |
| 1996 | 86.41 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 92.61 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 1998 | 115.83 tonnes per square kilometre | +25.1% |
| 1999 | 142.91 tonnes per square kilometre | +23.4% |
| 2000 | 130.26 tonnes per square kilometre | -8.8% |
| 2001 | 146.53 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.5% |
| 2002 | 132.03 tonnes per square kilometre | -9.9% |
| 2003 | 119.7 tonnes per square kilometre | -9.3% |
| 2004 | 132.78 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.9% |
| 2005 | 120.08 tonnes per square kilometre | -9.6% |
| 2006 | 134.17 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.7% |
| 2007 | 137.95 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 130.74 tonnes per square kilometre | -5.2% |
| 2009 | 136.42 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 135.46 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 123.61 tonnes per square kilometre | -8.7% |
| 2012 | 119.21 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 114.58 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 110.78 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 118.09 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 2016 | 119.54 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 128.75 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 129.11 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 126.98 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 130.49 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 113.75 tonnes per square kilometre | -12.8% |
| 2022 | 113.54 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.2% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 113.54 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.78 tonnes per square kilometre, 30.1× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 113.54 tonnes per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.29 tonnes per square kilometre, 34.5× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 26.4 tonnes per square kilometre | 24.98 tonnes per square kilometre | 27.82 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 30.56 tonnes per square kilometre | 26.03 tonnes per square kilometre | 44.29 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 59.7 tonnes per square kilometre | 48.5 tonnes per square kilometre | 72.25 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 92.02 tonnes per square kilometre | 74.68 tonnes per square kilometre | 142.91 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 132.07 tonnes per square kilometre | 119.7 tonnes per square kilometre | 146.53 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 122.61 tonnes per square kilometre | 110.78 tonnes per square kilometre | 135.46 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 119.26 tonnes per square kilometre | 113.54 tonnes per square kilometre | 130.49 tonnes per square kilometre | 3 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
- 5 Singapore 334.22 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 6 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 168.56 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 7 Macao 140.4 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 9 Curacao 71.65 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 10 Aruba 48.07 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 11 Haiti 39.11 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 emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Hong Kong?
- Emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Hong Kong was 113.54 tonnes per square kilometre in 2022, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 146.53 tonnes per square kilometre in 2001.
- What is the lowest emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.98 tonnes per square kilometre in 1968.
- How does Hong Kong rank for emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre?
- Hong Kong ranks 8th out of 207 countries with data for 2022.
- Is emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. 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 emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
emissions of air pollutants 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.
emissions of air pollutants ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- emissions of air pollutants Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – 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
emissions of air pollutants 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.