Nitrous oxide emissions in Malawi
Malawi: Nitrous oxide emissions was 5.57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
5.57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
80th
of 201 countries
All-time high
5.58 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 2023
All-time low
35,493 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 1850
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Nitrous oxide emissions in Malawi, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.
Analysis
In 2024, nitrous oxide emissions in Malawi stood at 5.57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 62.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrous oxide emissions in Malawi peaked at 5.58 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2023 and was at its lowest, 35,493 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, in 1850.
That places Malawi 80th out of 201 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nitrous oxide emissions in Malawi, year by year
| Year | tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 35,493 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1851 | 36,181 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.9% |
| 1852 | 36,853 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.9% |
| 1853 | 37,498 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.8% |
| 1854 | 38,106 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.6% |
| 1855 | 38,667 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.5% |
| 1856 | 39,171 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 1857 | 39,607 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.1% |
| 1858 | 39,965 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.9% |
| 1859 | 40,235 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.7% |
| 1860 | 40,407 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.4% |
| 1861 | 40,518 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.3% |
| 1862 | 40,612 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1863 | 40,695 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1864 | 40,770 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1865 | 40,842 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1866 | 40,914 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1867 | 40,991 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1868 | 41,076 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1869 | 41,174 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1870 | 41,288 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.3% |
| 1871 | 41,931 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.6% |
| 1872 | 43,473 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.7% |
| 1873 | 45,705 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.1% |
| 1874 | 48,420 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.9% |
| 1875 | 51,409 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.2% |
| 1876 | 54,464 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.9% |
| 1877 | 57,377 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.3% |
| 1878 | 59,940 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.5% |
| 1879 | 61,944 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.3% |
| 1880 | 63,182 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.0% |
| 1881 | 63,904 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.1% |
| 1882 | 64,518 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.0% |
| 1883 | 65,043 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.8% |
| 1884 | 65,503 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.7% |
| 1885 | 65,919 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1886 | 66,314 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1887 | 66,710 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1888 | 67,128 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1889 | 67,591 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.7% |
| 1890 | 70,824 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.8% |
| 1891 | 71,590 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.1% |
| 1892 | 72,395 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.1% |
| 1893 | 73,238 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.2% |
| 1894 | 74,118 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.2% |
| 1895 | 75,034 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.2% |
| 1896 | 75,985 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 1897 | 76,971 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 1898 | 77,991 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 1899 | 79,044 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1900 | 80,129 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1901 | 81,248 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1902 | 82,407 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1903 | 83,612 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.5% |
| 1904 | 84,868 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.5% |
| 1905 | 86,182 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.5% |
| 1906 | 87,560 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.6% |
| 1907 | 89,007 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.7% |
| 1908 | 90,529 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.7% |
| 1909 | 92,132 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.8% |
| 1910 | 93,822 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.8% |
| 1911 | 96,051 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.4% |
| 1912 | 99,161 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.2% |
| 1913 | 102,997 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.9% |
| 1914 | 107,404 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.3% |
| 1915 | 112,227 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.5% |
| 1916 | 117,310 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.5% |
| 1917 | 122,498 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.4% |
| 1918 | 127,635 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.2% |
| 1919 | 132,567 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.9% |
| 1920 | 137,138 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.4% |
| 1921 | 141,814 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.4% |
| 1922 | 147,016 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.7% |
| 1923 | 152,519 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.7% |
| 1924 | 158,099 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.7% |
| 1925 | 163,532 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.4% |
| 1926 | 168,592 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.1% |
| 1927 | 173,056 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.6% |
| 1928 | 176,699 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.1% |
| 1929 | 179,296 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.5% |
| 1930 | 180,622 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.7% |
| 1931 | 180,804 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.1% |
| 1932 | 180,258 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.3% |
| 1933 | 179,194 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.6% |
| 1934 | 177,824 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.8% |
| 1935 | 176,360 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.8% |
| 1936 | 175,012 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.8% |
| 1937 | 173,992 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.6% |
| 1938 | 173,510 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.3% |
| 1939 | 173,779 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1940 | 175,009 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.7% |
| 1941 | 189,750 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +8.4% |
| 1942 | 226,745 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +19.5% |
| 1943 | 280,491 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +23.7% |
| 1944 | 345,487 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +23.2% |
| 1945 | 416,231 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +20.5% |
| 1946 | 487,220 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +17.1% |
| 1947 | 552,953 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +13.5% |
| 1948 | 607,928 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.9% |
| 1949 | 646,643 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.4% |
| 1950 | 663,596 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.6% |
| 1951 | 661,558 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 648,760 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.9% |
| 1953 | 627,892 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.2% |
| 1954 | 601,644 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.2% |
| 1955 | 572,707 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.8% |
| 1956 | 543,770 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -5.1% |
| 1957 | 517,524 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.8% |
| 1958 | 496,658 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.0% |
| 1959 | 483,862 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.6% |
| 1960 | 481,827 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.4% |
| 1961 | 564,833 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +17.2% |
| 1962 | 567,822 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 574,970 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 602,433 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.8% |
| 1965 | 622,008 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 633,062 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 679,599 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.4% |
| 1968 | 703,657 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.5% |
| 1969 | 731,878 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.0% |
| 1970 | 826,924 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +13.0% |
| 1971 | 767,216 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -7.2% |
| 1972 | 806,543 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.1% |
| 1973 | 851,439 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.6% |
| 1974 | 837,859 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.6% |
| 1975 | 891,090 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.4% |
| 1976 | 955,365 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.2% |
| 1977 | 964,416 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 1.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.8% |
| 1979 | 1.05 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 1.05 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 1.10 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.8% |
| 1982 | 1.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.2% |
| 1983 | 1.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 1.15 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 1.17 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 1.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 1.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +10.2% |
| 1988 | 1.20 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -11.2% |
| 1989 | 1.26 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 1.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +8.7% |
| 1991 | 1.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.2% |
| 1992 | 1.49 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 1.50 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 1.21 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -19.1% |
| 1995 | 1.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +13.5% |
| 1996 | 1.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.3% |
| 1997 | 1.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 1.55 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 1.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 1.62 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 1.48 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -8.4% |
| 2002 | 1.73 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +16.8% |
| 2003 | 1.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.4% |
| 2004 | 1.86 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 1.91 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 2.08 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 2.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.4% |
| 2008 | 2.50 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.7% |
| 2009 | 2.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 2.86 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +16.5% |
| 2011 | 2.91 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 2.95 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 3.04 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 3.42 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +12.7% |
| 2015 | 3.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 3.43 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 3.73 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +8.8% |
| 2018 | 4.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +20.0% |
| 2019 | 5.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +12.4% |
| 2020 | 5.33 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.1% |
| 2021 | 5.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 5.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 5.58 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.6% |
| 2024 | 5.57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 5.57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents is below the median for low income countries, which is 6.15 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, 91% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 5.57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, 95% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 38,178 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 35,493 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 40,235 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1860s | 40,800 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 40,407 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 41,174 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1870s | 50,595 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 41,288 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 61,944 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1880s | 65,581 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 63,182 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 67,591 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1890s | 74,719 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 70,824 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 79,044 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1900s | 85,768 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 80,129 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 92,132 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1910s | 111,167 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 93,822 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 132,567 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1920s | 159,776 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 137,138 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 179,296 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1930s | 177,136 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 173,510 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 180,804 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1940s | 392,846 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 175,009 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 646,643 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1950s | 581,797 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 483,862 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 663,596 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1960s | 616,209 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 481,827 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 731,878 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1970s | 897,703 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 767,216 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.05 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.05 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.21 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.55 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.97 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.48 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 2.50 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.54 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 2.86 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.38 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5.58 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 77 Senegal 6.12 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 78 Sweden 6.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 79 Taiwan 5.73 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 81 Hungary 5.43 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 82 Zimbabwe 5.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 83 Yemen 5.11 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
More climate change data for Malawi
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 415.04 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,106 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,501 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.06 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 89.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,185 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,819 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 366.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 10.64 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrous oxide emissions in Malawi?
- Nitrous oxide emissions in Malawi was 5.57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest nitrous oxide emissions recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 5.58 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2023.
- What is the lowest nitrous oxide emissions recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 35,493 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 1850.
- How does Malawi rank for nitrous oxide emissions?
- Malawi ranks 80th out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is nitrous oxide emissions rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Nitrous oxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.