Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change was 5.99 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
5.99 tonnes per person
Change on year
down 6.2%
World rank
49th
of 194 countries
All-time high
36.09 tonnes per person
in 1960
All-time low
0.3486 tonnes per person
in 1920
Years of data
105
1920–2024
Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1920–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
In 2024, per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 5.99 tonnes per person.
The figure is down 6.2% on the previous year and down 44.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 36.09 tonnes per person in 1960 and was at its lowest, 0.3486 tonnes per person, in 1920.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 49th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 0.3486 tonnes per person | — |
| 1921 | 2.37 tonnes per person | +579.5% |
| 1922 | 4.11 tonnes per person | +73.5% |
| 1923 | 5.15 tonnes per person | +25.3% |
| 1924 | 5.94 tonnes per person | +15.4% |
| 1925 | 6.7 tonnes per person | +12.7% |
| 1926 | 7.3 tonnes per person | +9.0% |
| 1927 | 7.87 tonnes per person | +7.8% |
| 1928 | 8.34 tonnes per person | +6.0% |
| 1929 | 8.75 tonnes per person | +5.0% |
| 1930 | 9.3 tonnes per person | +6.3% |
| 1931 | 9.62 tonnes per person | +3.4% |
| 1932 | 9.81 tonnes per person | +2.0% |
| 1933 | 10.02 tonnes per person | +2.1% |
| 1934 | 10.25 tonnes per person | +2.3% |
| 1935 | 10.42 tonnes per person | +1.7% |
| 1936 | 10.71 tonnes per person | +2.8% |
| 1937 | 10.81 tonnes per person | +0.9% |
| 1938 | 10.98 tonnes per person | +1.5% |
| 1939 | 10.94 tonnes per person | -0.3% |
| 1940 | 13.19 tonnes per person | +20.6% |
| 1941 | 14.13 tonnes per person | +7.1% |
| 1942 | 14.64 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1943 | 15.01 tonnes per person | +2.5% |
| 1944 | 15.22 tonnes per person | +1.4% |
| 1945 | 15.15 tonnes per person | -0.5% |
| 1946 | 15.72 tonnes per person | +3.8% |
| 1947 | 15.86 tonnes per person | +0.9% |
| 1948 | 15.93 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1949 | 15.79 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
| 1950 | 17.94 tonnes per person | +13.6% |
| 1951 | 19.39 tonnes per person | +8.1% |
| 1952 | 20.25 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 1953 | 21.05 tonnes per person | +3.9% |
| 1954 | 22.99 tonnes per person | +9.2% |
| 1955 | 23.86 tonnes per person | +3.8% |
| 1956 | 24.75 tonnes per person | +3.7% |
| 1957 | 25.81 tonnes per person | +4.3% |
| 1958 | 27.38 tonnes per person | +6.1% |
| 1959 | 26.86 tonnes per person | -1.9% |
| 1960 | 36.09 tonnes per person | +34.4% |
| 1961 | 23.48 tonnes per person | -34.9% |
| 1962 | 17.74 tonnes per person | -24.5% |
| 1963 | 12.89 tonnes per person | -27.3% |
| 1964 | 10.03 tonnes per person | -22.2% |
| 1965 | 8.22 tonnes per person | -18.1% |
| 1966 | 7.29 tonnes per person | -11.3% |
| 1967 | 6.78 tonnes per person | -7.1% |
| 1968 | 6.38 tonnes per person | -5.9% |
| 1969 | 6.08 tonnes per person | -4.6% |
| 1970 | 5.82 tonnes per person | -4.3% |
| 1971 | 5.42 tonnes per person | -7.0% |
| 1972 | 5.13 tonnes per person | -5.3% |
| 1973 | 4.99 tonnes per person | -2.6% |
| 1974 | 4.47 tonnes per person | -10.5% |
| 1975 | 4.36 tonnes per person | -2.4% |
| 1976 | 4.06 tonnes per person | -7.0% |
| 1977 | 3.76 tonnes per person | -7.4% |
| 1978 | 3.4 tonnes per person | -9.6% |
| 1979 | 3.6 tonnes per person | +6.1% |
| 1980 | 3.85 tonnes per person | +7.1% |
| 1981 | 3.45 tonnes per person | -10.4% |
| 1982 | 3.37 tonnes per person | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 3.49 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 3.57 tonnes per person | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 3.47 tonnes per person | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 3.06 tonnes per person | -11.7% |
| 1987 | 2.78 tonnes per person | -9.2% |
| 1988 | 2.66 tonnes per person | -4.3% |
| 1989 | 2.68 tonnes per person | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 2.64 tonnes per person | -1.6% |
| 1991 | 2.63 tonnes per person | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 2.49 tonnes per person | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 3.11 tonnes per person | +24.9% |
| 1994 | 3.05 tonnes per person | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 3.01 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 2.97 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 3.95 tonnes per person | +32.9% |
| 1998 | 3.95 tonnes per person | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4.01 tonnes per person | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 3.9 tonnes per person | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 3.17 tonnes per person | -18.6% |
| 2002 | 2.88 tonnes per person | -9.2% |
| 2003 | 3.27 tonnes per person | +13.4% |
| 2004 | 2.69 tonnes per person | -17.6% |
| 2005 | 2.56 tonnes per person | -4.9% |
| 2006 | 2.66 tonnes per person | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 2.69 tonnes per person | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 7.56 tonnes per person | +181.1% |
| 2009 | 11.83 tonnes per person | +56.5% |
| 2010 | 13.6 tonnes per person | +14.9% |
| 2011 | 15.19 tonnes per person | +11.7% |
| 2012 | 13.71 tonnes per person | -9.7% |
| 2013 | 13.48 tonnes per person | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 10.85 tonnes per person | -19.6% |
| 2015 | 8.25 tonnes per person | -24.0% |
| 2016 | 8.49 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 8.36 tonnes per person | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 6.57 tonnes per person | -21.4% |
| 2019 | 5.49 tonnes per person | -16.4% |
| 2020 | 5.73 tonnes per person | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 7.47 tonnes per person | +30.3% |
| 2022 | 7.51 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 6.38 tonnes per person | -15.0% |
| 2024 | 5.99 tonnes per person | -6.2% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 5.99 tonnes per person is above the median for low income countries, which is 1.11 tonnes per person, 5.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 5.99 tonnes per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.42 tonnes per person, 4.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change in Democratic Republic of Congo changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | +579.5% | 0.3486 tonnes per person | 2.37 tonnes per person |
| 2008 | +181.1% | 2.69 tonnes per person | 7.56 tonnes per person |
| 1922 | +73.5% | 2.37 tonnes per person | 4.11 tonnes per person |
| 2009 | +56.5% | 7.56 tonnes per person | 11.83 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5.69 tonnes per person | 0.3486 tonnes per person | 8.75 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 10.29 tonnes per person | 9.3 tonnes per person | 10.98 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 15.06 tonnes per person | 13.19 tonnes per person | 15.93 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 23.03 tonnes per person | 17.94 tonnes per person | 27.38 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 13.5 tonnes per person | 6.08 tonnes per person | 36.09 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.5 tonnes per person | 3.4 tonnes per person | 5.82 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.24 tonnes per person | 2.66 tonnes per person | 3.85 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.18 tonnes per person | 2.49 tonnes per person | 4.01 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.32 tonnes per person | 2.56 tonnes per person | 11.83 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.4 tonnes per person | 5.49 tonnes per person | 15.19 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.61 tonnes per person | 5.73 tonnes per person | 7.51 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More climate change data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.2047 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.8778 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.05 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 4.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 4.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.4511 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate 28.16 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change in Democratic Republic of Congo was 5.99 tonnes per person in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 36.09 tonnes per person in 1960.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3486 tonnes per person in 1920.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 49th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), including land-use change, measured in tonnes per person.