emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre was 0.4235 tonnes per square kilometre in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
0.4235 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
up 5.9%
World rank
187th
of 207 countries
All-time high
0.6756 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2002
All-time low
0.0374 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
62
1961–2022
emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia, 1961–2022
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 0.4235 tonnes per square kilometre for emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in 2022.
The figure is up 5.9% on the previous year and down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia peaked at 0.6756 tonnes per square kilometre in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0.0374 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1961.
Saudi Arabia ranks 187th of 207 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.0374 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.0502 tonnes per square kilometre | +34.3% |
| 1963 | 0.0541 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 1964 | 0.0506 tonnes per square kilometre | -6.5% |
| 1965 | 0.041 tonnes per square kilometre | -18.9% |
| 1966 | 0.0537 tonnes per square kilometre | +30.8% |
| 1967 | 0.0576 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 1968 | 0.0641 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.3% |
| 1969 | 0.0745 tonnes per square kilometre | +16.2% |
| 1970 | 0.1031 tonnes per square kilometre | +38.4% |
| 1971 | 0.1263 tonnes per square kilometre | +22.5% |
| 1972 | 0.1549 tonnes per square kilometre | +22.6% |
| 1973 | 0.1987 tonnes per square kilometre | +28.3% |
| 1974 | 0.2214 tonnes per square kilometre | +11.4% |
| 1975 | 0.2164 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 0.2843 tonnes per square kilometre | +31.4% |
| 1977 | 0.327 tonnes per square kilometre | +15.0% |
| 1978 | 0.3608 tonnes per square kilometre | +10.3% |
| 1979 | 0.4228 tonnes per square kilometre | +17.2% |
| 1980 | 0.4949 tonnes per square kilometre | +17.1% |
| 1981 | 0.4884 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 0.472 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 0.5312 tonnes per square kilometre | +12.6% |
| 1984 | 0.5226 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 0.5526 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1986 | 0.5452 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 0.5431 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 0.5567 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 0.5244 tonnes per square kilometre | -5.8% |
| 1990 | 0.6146 tonnes per square kilometre | +17.2% |
| 1991 | 0.6128 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 0.6313 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 0.6312 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.5603 tonnes per square kilometre | -11.2% |
| 1995 | 0.5379 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.0% |
| 1996 | 0.5559 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 0.5955 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 1998 | 0.5938 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 0.5897 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 0.6262 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 2001 | 0.6477 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 0.6756 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 0.649 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 0.6305 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 0.5963 tonnes per square kilometre | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 0.5524 tonnes per square kilometre | -7.4% |
| 2007 | 0.5322 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2008 | 0.5258 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 0.4823 tonnes per square kilometre | -8.3% |
| 2010 | 0.4689 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 0.5092 tonnes per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 2012 | 0.501 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 0.4997 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 0.5005 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 0.5165 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 0.5049 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 0.4937 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 0.4561 tonnes per square kilometre | -7.6% |
| 2019 | 0.4405 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 0.3924 tonnes per square kilometre | -10.9% |
| 2021 | 0.4 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 0.4235 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.9% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0.4235 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.78 tonnes per square kilometre, 11% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 0.4235 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.69 tonnes per square kilometre, 25% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0537 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0374 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.0745 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.2416 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.1031 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.4228 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5231 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.472 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.5567 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5923 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.5379 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.6313 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5918 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.4823 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.6756 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4891 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.4405 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.5165 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4053 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.3924 tonnes per square kilometre | 0.4235 tonnes per square kilometre | 3 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 184 Vanuatu 0.4628 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 185 Chad 0.4577 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 186 Russia 0.4289 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 188 Belize 0.3951 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 189 Mali 0.3869 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 190 Canada 0.3271 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 emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia?
- Emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia was 0.4235 tonnes per square kilometre in 2022, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6756 tonnes per square kilometre in 2002.
- What is the lowest emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0374 tonnes per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 187th out of 207 countries with data for 2022.
- Is emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.