Per capita co2 vs average in South Africa
South Africa: Per capita co2 vs average was 6.87 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
6.87
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
42nd
of 213 countries
All-time high
9.68
in 2008
All-time low
0.0051
in 1884
Years of data
141
1884–2024
Per capita co2 vs average in South Africa, 1884–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 6.87 for per capita co2 vs average in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co2 vs average in South Africa peaked at 9.68 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.0051, in 1884.
South Africa ranks 42nd of 213 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 vs average in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1884 | 0.0051 | — |
| 1885 | 0.0084 | +64.9% |
| 1886 | 0.0108 | +28.6% |
| 1887 | 0.0106 | -1.1% |
| 1888 | 0.0178 | +67.4% |
| 1889 | 0.0289 | +61.9% |
| 1890 | 0.0642 | +122.6% |
| 1891 | 0.0635 | -1.1% |
| 1892 | 0.1017 | +60.0% |
| 1893 | 0.377 | +270.8% |
| 1894 | 0.5044 | +33.8% |
| 1895 | 0.6846 | +35.7% |
| 1896 | 0.8639 | +26.2% |
| 1897 | 0.9592 | +11.0% |
| 1898 | 1.2 | +25.3% |
| 1899 | 1.08 | -9.9% |
| 1900 | 0.4513 | -58.3% |
| 1901 | 0.7462 | +65.3% |
| 1902 | 1.09 | +46.7% |
| 1903 | 1.44 | +31.3% |
| 1904 | 1.59 | +10.8% |
| 1905 | 1.79 | +12.4% |
| 1906 | 2.01 | +12.4% |
| 1907 | 2.18 | +8.5% |
| 1908 | 2.21 | +1.1% |
| 1909 | 2.5 | +13.2% |
| 1910 | 2.79 | +11.5% |
| 1911 | 2.64 | -5.3% |
| 1912 | 2.76 | +4.5% |
| 1913 | 2.97 | +7.7% |
| 1914 | 2.83 | -4.6% |
| 1915 | 2.8 | -1.0% |
| 1916 | 3.25 | +16.0% |
| 1917 | 3.42 | +5.3% |
| 1918 | 3.21 | -6.2% |
| 1919 | 3.29 | +2.4% |
| 1920 | 3.58 | +9.0% |
| 1921 | 3.48 | -2.8% |
| 1922 | 2.92 | -16.0% |
| 1923 | 3.48 | +18.9% |
| 1924 | 3.58 | +2.9% |
| 1925 | 3.65 | +2.1% |
| 1926 | 3.76 | +2.9% |
| 1927 | 3.58 | -4.9% |
| 1928 | 3.51 | -1.9% |
| 1929 | 3.57 | +1.7% |
| 1930 | 3.27 | -8.5% |
| 1931 | 2.85 | -12.8% |
| 1932 | 2.56 | -10.1% |
| 1933 | 2.71 | +5.9% |
| 1934 | 3.03 | +11.7% |
| 1935 | 3.31 | +9.2% |
| 1936 | 3.55 | +7.5% |
| 1937 | 3.64 | +2.4% |
| 1938 | 3.75 | +3.0% |
| 1939 | 3.81 | +1.7% |
| 1940 | 3.87 | +1.4% |
| 1941 | 4.05 | +4.7% |
| 1942 | 4.34 | +7.2% |
| 1943 | 4.29 | -1.2% |
| 1944 | 4.71 | +9.8% |
| 1945 | 4.73 | +0.5% |
| 1946 | 4.65 | -1.6% |
| 1947 | 4.55 | -2.2% |
| 1948 | 4.57 | +0.3% |
| 1949 | 4.75 | +4.0% |
| 1950 | 4.67 | -1.6% |
| 1951 | 4.89 | +4.6% |
| 1952 | 5.21 | +6.6% |
| 1953 | 5.11 | -1.9% |
| 1954 | 5.2 | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 5.71 | +9.7% |
| 1956 | 5.86 | +2.8% |
| 1957 | 5.88 | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 6.16 | +4.8% |
| 1959 | 5.9 | -4.3% |
| 1960 | 5.95 | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 6.04 | +1.5% |
| 1962 | 6.07 | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 6.11 | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 6.46 | +5.7% |
| 1965 | 6.71 | +3.9% |
| 1966 | 6.51 | -3.0% |
| 1967 | 6.58 | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 6.58 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | 6.62 | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 6.72 | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 7.34 | +9.3% |
| 1972 | 7.27 | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 7.14 | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 7.07 | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 7.2 | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 7.31 | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 7.37 | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 7.24 | -1.6% |
| 1979 | 7.64 | +5.4% |
| 1980 | 7.73 | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 8.42 | +8.9% |
| 1982 | 8.87 | +5.4% |
| 1983 | 8.92 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 9.31 | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 9.24 | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 9.13 | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 8.81 | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 8.9 | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 8.6 | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 7.68 | -10.7% |
| 1991 | 7.82 | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 7.1 | -9.2% |
| 1993 | 7.4 | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 7.7 | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 8.12 | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 8.06 | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 8.44 | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 8.16 | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 8.02 | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 8.02 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 7.81 | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 7.42 | -5.0% |
| 2003 | 8.34 | +12.3% |
| 2004 | 9.17 | +10.0% |
| 2005 | 8.41 | -8.3% |
| 2006 | 8.94 | +6.2% |
| 2007 | 9.2 | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 9.68 | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 9.17 | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 8.93 | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 8.95 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 8.58 | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 8.34 | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 8.66 | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 8.06 | -6.9% |
| 2016 | 7.98 | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 7.63 | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 7.74 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 7.9 | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 7.19 | -9.0% |
| 2021 | 7.15 | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 6.87 | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 6.91 | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 6.87 | -0.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 6.87 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.04, 2.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 6.87 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.3417, 20.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita co2 vs average in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1893 | +270.8% | 0.1017 | 0.377 |
| 1890 | +122.6% | 0.0289 | 0.0642 |
| 1888 | +67.4% | 0.0106 | 0.0178 |
| 1901 | +65.3% | 0.4513 | 0.7462 |
| 1885 | +64.9% | 0.0051 | 0.0084 |
| 1889 | +61.9% | 0.0178 | 0.0289 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 0.0136 | 0.0051 | 0.0289 | 6 |
| 1890s | 0.5903 | 0.0635 | 1.2 | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.6 | 0.4513 | 2.5 | 10 |
| 1910s | 2.99 | 2.64 | 3.42 | 10 |
| 1920s | 3.51 | 2.92 | 3.76 | 10 |
| 1930s | 3.25 | 2.56 | 3.81 | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.45 | 3.87 | 4.75 | 10 |
| 1950s | 5.46 | 4.67 | 6.16 | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.36 | 5.95 | 6.71 | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.23 | 6.72 | 7.64 | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.79 | 7.73 | 9.31 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.85 | 7.1 | 8.44 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.62 | 7.42 | 9.68 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.28 | 7.63 | 8.95 | 10 |
| 2020s | 7 | 6.87 | 7.19 | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co2 vs average in South Africa?
- Per capita co2 vs average in South Africa was 6.87 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita co2 vs average recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.68 in 2008.
- What is the lowest per capita co2 vs average recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0051 in 1884.
- How does South Africa rank for per capita co2 vs average?
- South Africa ranks 42nd out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co2 vs average rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita co2 vs average. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 141 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).