Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change in South Korea
South Korea: Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change was 11.22 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
11.22 tonnes per person
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
19th
of 194 countries
All-time high
12.92 tonnes per person
in 2018
All-time low
-0.0097 tonnes per person
in 1909
Years of data
116
1905–2024
Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change in South Korea, 1905–2024
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 South Korea stood at 11.22 tonnes per person.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change in South Korea peaked at 12.92 tonnes per person in 2018 and was at its lowest, -0.0097 tonnes per person, in 1909.
That places South Korea 19th out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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 South Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1905 | 0.0153 tonnes per person | — |
| 1909 | -0.0097 tonnes per person | -163.3% |
| 1910 | 0.4136 tonnes per person | -4377.0% |
| 1911 | 0.2991 tonnes per person | -27.7% |
| 1912 | 0.4222 tonnes per person | +41.2% |
| 1913 | 0.614 tonnes per person | +45.4% |
| 1914 | 0.6239 tonnes per person | +1.6% |
| 1915 | 0.736 tonnes per person | +18.0% |
| 1916 | 0.827 tonnes per person | +12.4% |
| 1918 | 0.9397 tonnes per person | +13.6% |
| 1919 | 0.9921 tonnes per person | +5.6% |
| 1920 | 1.02 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 1921 | 1.02 tonnes per person | +0.4% |
| 1922 | 1.06 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1923 | 1.02 tonnes per person | -3.9% |
| 1924 | 1.26 tonnes per person | +23.9% |
| 1925 | 1.09 tonnes per person | -13.9% |
| 1926 | 1.09 tonnes per person | +0.2% |
| 1927 | 1.3 tonnes per person | +19.1% |
| 1928 | 1.1 tonnes per person | -15.6% |
| 1929 | 1.15 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 1930 | 0.9454 tonnes per person | -17.5% |
| 1931 | 0.6327 tonnes per person | -33.1% |
| 1932 | 0.7666 tonnes per person | +21.2% |
| 1933 | 0.5622 tonnes per person | -26.7% |
| 1934 | 0.6574 tonnes per person | +16.9% |
| 1935 | 0.6489 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 1936 | 0.5967 tonnes per person | -8.0% |
| 1937 | 0.538 tonnes per person | -9.8% |
| 1938 | 0.564 tonnes per person | +4.8% |
| 1939 | 0.554 tonnes per person | -1.8% |
| 1940 | 0.5494 tonnes per person | -0.8% |
| 1941 | 0.5821 tonnes per person | +6.0% |
| 1942 | 0.5344 tonnes per person | -8.2% |
| 1943 | 0.5129 tonnes per person | -4.0% |
| 1944 | 0.4904 tonnes per person | -4.4% |
| 1945 | 0.4985 tonnes per person | +1.7% |
| 1946 | 0.4426 tonnes per person | -11.2% |
| 1947 | 0.3992 tonnes per person | -9.8% |
| 1948 | 0.3514 tonnes per person | -12.0% |
| 1949 | 0.4805 tonnes per person | +36.7% |
| 1950 | 0.3472 tonnes per person | -27.7% |
| 1951 | 0.318 tonnes per person | -8.4% |
| 1952 | 0.2803 tonnes per person | -11.9% |
| 1953 | 0.319 tonnes per person | +13.8% |
| 1954 | 0.3076 tonnes per person | -3.6% |
| 1955 | 0.2393 tonnes per person | -22.2% |
| 1956 | 0.2899 tonnes per person | +21.1% |
| 1957 | 0.261 tonnes per person | -9.9% |
| 1958 | 0.2144 tonnes per person | -17.9% |
| 1959 | 0.1567 tonnes per person | -26.9% |
| 1960 | 0.2184 tonnes per person | +39.4% |
| 1961 | 0.2692 tonnes per person | +23.3% |
| 1962 | 0.4757 tonnes per person | +76.7% |
| 1963 | 1.03 tonnes per person | +115.5% |
| 1964 | 1.21 tonnes per person | +17.6% |
| 1965 | 1.12 tonnes per person | -6.8% |
| 1966 | 1.19 tonnes per person | +6.2% |
| 1967 | 1.31 tonnes per person | +9.9% |
| 1968 | 1.26 tonnes per person | -3.6% |
| 1969 | 1.38 tonnes per person | +9.3% |
| 1970 | 1.67 tonnes per person | +21.1% |
| 1971 | 1.71 tonnes per person | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 1.79 tonnes per person | +4.7% |
| 1973 | 2.11 tonnes per person | +17.9% |
| 1974 | 2.19 tonnes per person | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 2.28 tonnes per person | +4.0% |
| 1976 | 2.53 tonnes per person | +11.2% |
| 1977 | 2.83 tonnes per person | +11.6% |
| 1978 | 3 tonnes per person | +6.2% |
| 1979 | 3.53 tonnes per person | +17.4% |
| 1980 | 3.5 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 3.6 tonnes per person | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 3.56 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 3.72 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 3.94 tonnes per person | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 4.08 tonnes per person | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 4.23 tonnes per person | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 4.37 tonnes per person | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 4.91 tonnes per person | +12.5% |
| 1989 | 5.15 tonnes per person | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 5.67 tonnes per person | +10.2% |
| 1991 | 6.12 tonnes per person | +7.9% |
| 1992 | 6.72 tonnes per person | +9.7% |
| 1993 | 7.31 tonnes per person | +8.8% |
| 1994 | 7.84 tonnes per person | +7.3% |
| 1995 | 8.35 tonnes per person | +6.5% |
| 1996 | 9.15 tonnes per person | +9.5% |
| 1997 | 9.61 tonnes per person | +5.1% |
| 1998 | 8.11 tonnes per person | -15.6% |
| 1999 | 8.83 tonnes per person | +8.8% |
| 2000 | 9.35 tonnes per person | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 9.61 tonnes per person | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 9.99 tonnes per person | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 10.14 tonnes per person | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 10.24 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 10.35 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 10.4 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 10.74 tonnes per person | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 10.94 tonnes per person | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 11.01 tonnes per person | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 12.11 tonnes per person | +9.9% |
| 2011 | 12.72 tonnes per person | +5.1% |
| 2012 | 12.57 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 12.57 tonnes per person | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 12.41 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 12.4 tonnes per person | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 12.35 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 12.62 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 12.92 tonnes per person | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 12.39 tonnes per person | -4.1% |
| 2020 | 11.42 tonnes per person | -7.8% |
| 2021 | 11.75 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 11.65 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 11.31 tonnes per person | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 11.22 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 11.22 tonnes per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.19 tonnes per person, 1.8× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 11.22 tonnes per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.85 tonnes per person, 2.3× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita CO₂ emissions including land-use change in South Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | +4377.0% | -0.0097 tonnes per person | 0.4136 tonnes per person |
| 1909 | -163.3% | 0.0153 tonnes per person | -0.0097 tonnes per person |
| 1963 | +115.5% | 0.4757 tonnes per person | 1.03 tonnes per person |
| 1962 | +76.7% | 0.2692 tonnes per person | 0.4757 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.0028 tonnes per person | -0.0097 tonnes per person | 0.0153 tonnes per person | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.652 tonnes per person | 0.2991 tonnes per person | 0.9921 tonnes per person | 9 |
| 1920s | 1.11 tonnes per person | 1.02 tonnes per person | 1.3 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.6466 tonnes per person | 0.538 tonnes per person | 0.9454 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.4842 tonnes per person | 0.3514 tonnes per person | 0.5821 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.2733 tonnes per person | 0.1567 tonnes per person | 0.3472 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.9468 tonnes per person | 0.2184 tonnes per person | 1.38 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.36 tonnes per person | 1.67 tonnes per person | 3.53 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.11 tonnes per person | 3.5 tonnes per person | 5.15 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.77 tonnes per person | 5.67 tonnes per person | 9.61 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.28 tonnes per person | 9.35 tonnes per person | 11.01 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.51 tonnes per person | 12.11 tonnes per person | 12.92 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.47 tonnes per person | 11.22 tonnes per person | 11.75 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More climate change data for South Korea
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.1 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7164 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.8996 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.1285 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1214 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8117 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -78.08 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change in South Korea?
- Per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change in South Korea was 11.22 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 12.92 tonnes per person in 2018.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0097 tonnes per person in 1909.
- How does South Korea rank for per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change?
- South Korea ranks 19th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions including land-use change rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 116 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), including land-use change, measured in tonnes per person.