Per capita methane emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Per capita methane emissions by sector was 1,421 kilograms per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1,421 kilograms per person
Change on year
down 7.4%
World rank
21st
of 193 countries
All-time high
3,885 kilograms per person
in 1991
All-time low
1,421 kilograms per person
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Per capita methane emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per person.
Analysis
In 2023, per capita methane emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia stood at 1,421 kilograms per person. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.4% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita methane emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia peaked at 3,885 kilograms per person in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1,421 kilograms per person, in 2023.
Saudi Arabia ranks 21st of 193 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita methane emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3,030 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 3,885 kilograms per person | +28.2% |
| 1992 | 3,845 kilograms per person | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 3,384 kilograms per person | -12.0% |
| 1994 | 2,964 kilograms per person | -12.4% |
| 1995 | 2,835 kilograms per person | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 2,735 kilograms per person | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 2,698 kilograms per person | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 2,604 kilograms per person | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 2,351 kilograms per person | -9.7% |
| 2000 | 2,414 kilograms per person | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 2,228 kilograms per person | -7.7% |
| 2002 | 2,043 kilograms per person | -8.3% |
| 2003 | 2,239 kilograms per person | +9.6% |
| 2004 | 2,177 kilograms per person | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 2,226 kilograms per person | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 2,124 kilograms per person | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 1,965 kilograms per person | -7.5% |
| 2008 | 1,971 kilograms per person | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 1,711 kilograms per person | -13.2% |
| 2010 | 1,706 kilograms per person | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 1,837 kilograms per person | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 1,803 kilograms per person | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 1,717 kilograms per person | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 1,649 kilograms per person | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 1,583 kilograms per person | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 1,627 kilograms per person | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 1,567 kilograms per person | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 1,625 kilograms per person | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 1,553 kilograms per person | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 1,446 kilograms per person | -6.9% |
| 2021 | 1,423 kilograms per person | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 1,534 kilograms per person | +7.8% |
| 2023 | 1,421 kilograms per person | -7.4% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 1,421 kilograms per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 45.5 kilograms per person, 31.2× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 1,421 kilograms per person is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 389.7 kilograms per person, 3.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3,033 kilograms per person | 2,351 kilograms per person | 3,885 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,110 kilograms per person | 1,711 kilograms per person | 2,414 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,667 kilograms per person | 1,553 kilograms per person | 1,837 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,456 kilograms per person | 1,421 kilograms per person | 1,534 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
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 per capita methane emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia?
- Per capita methane emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia was 1,421 kilograms per person in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita methane emissions by sector recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 3,885 kilograms per person in 1991.
- What is the lowest per capita methane emissions by sector recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,421 kilograms per person in 2023.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for per capita methane emissions by sector?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 21st out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita methane emissions by sector rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita methane emissions by sector. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Emissions are measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalents per person.