A global ranking of CO₂ emissions by country, measured in metric tons per capita, using the latest data available from the World Bank.
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted as a result of human activity. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and fluorinated gases trap heat and make the Earth warmer.
The 10 highest per-capita emitters
These countries produce the most CO₂ emissions per person.
- Qatar
- Brunei
- Bahrain
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Australia
- United States
Understanding carbon dioxide emissions
Carbon dioxide is naturally present in the atmosphere as part of the Earth’s natural circulation of carbon between the atmosphere, oceans, soil, plants, and animals.
However, human activity – especially fossil-fuel combustion – is responsible for virtually all of the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years.
Carbon dioxide accounts for the largest share of greenhouse gases and is the main driver of global warming and climate change. Emissions largely originate from burning fossil fuels and from industrial processes such as cement production.
Limitations of the data
The data from the World Bank does come with a caveat. The carbon dioxide emissions of a country per capita are only one component of total greenhouse gas emissions.
For a more comprehensive view of how a country and its population impact climate change, gases such as methane and nitrous oxide should also be considered. This is especially relevant in agricultural economies where these gases play a more significant role.
CO₂ emissions by country (metric tons per capita)
The table and map below ranks the world’s countries by CO₂ emissions per person, measured in metric tons (1t = 1,000kg / 2,205lb).
Some countries may have been omitted due to insufficient data.
| Country | Annual CO2 Emissions per Capita |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 0.2658372 |
| Albania | 1.8296235 |
| Algeria | 3.858676 |
| Andorra | 5.2414894 |
| Angola | 0.5654583 |
| Anguilla | 10.012469 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 6.909023 |
| Argentina | 4.299799 |
| Armenia | 2.5848775 |
| Aruba | 8.033462 |
| Australia | 14.478477 |
| Austria | 6.4156914 |
| Azerbaijan | 4.2581973 |
| Bahamas | 6.2719727 |
| Bahrain | 23.270287 |
| Bangladesh | 0.6615085 |
| Barbados | 4.2208276 |
| Belarus | 6.1970997 |
| Belgium | 7.117669 |
| Belize | 1.6246133 |
| Benin | 0.39630806 |
| Bermuda | 8.073608 |
| Bhutan | 2.1783957 |
| Bolivia | 1.9077996 |
| Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba | 3.8396726 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.3355327 |
| Botswana | 2.7068162 |
| Brazil | 2.3040087 |
| British Virgin Islands | 4.7500577 |
| Brunei | 25.644121 |
| Bulgaria | 5.311158 |
| Burkina Faso | 0.26868075 |
| Burundi | 0.051842824 |
| Cambodia | 1.158091 |
| Cameroon | 0.35038644 |
| Canada | 13.977395 |
| Cape Verde | 1.0241876 |
| Central African Republic | 0.05457887 |
| Chad | 0.15939629 |
| Chile | 3.9314492 |
| China | 8.366814 |
| Colombia | 2.011398 |
| Comoros | 0.5276767 |
| Congo | 1.2412221 |
| Cook Islands | 5.1131706 |
| Costa Rica | 1.6215829 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 0.42340204 |
| Croatia | 4.4979405 |
| Cuba | 2.095969 |
| Curacao | 10.911635 |
| Cyprus | 5.334069 |
| Czechia | 7.921035 |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | 0.04363328 |
| Denmark | 4.583753 |
| Djibouti | 0.42720202 |
| Dominica | 2.4508874 |
| Dominican Republic | 2.8257775 |
| East Timor | 0.4566385 |
| Ecuador | 2.4011502 |
| Egypt | 2.3486655 |
| El Salvador | 1.3043969 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 3.324051 |
| Eritrea | 0.17887437 |
| Estonia | 7.3279524 |
| Eswatini | 0.8973618 |
| Ethiopia | 0.11832265 |
| Faroe Islands | 14.571523 |
| Fiji | 1.2402219 |
| Finland | 5.6455913 |
| France | 4.101154 |
| French Polynesia | 3.258885 |
| Gabon | 2.1776206 |
| Gambia | 0.26350614 |
| Georgia | 3.090994 |
| Germany | 7.051021 |
| Ghana | 0.5814853 |
| Greece | 5.3887224 |
| Greenland | 10.659416 |
| Grenada | 2.89821 |
| Guatemala | 1.1245517 |
| Guinea | 0.2806425 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 0.13839087 |
| Guyana | 4.289998 |
| Haiti | 0.3026471 |
| Honduras | 1.037329 |
| Hong Kong | 4.5508866 |
| Hungary | 4.1491046 |
| Iceland | 9.70807 |
| India | 2.129469 |
| Indonesia | 2.607574 |
| Iran | 9.0265045 |
| Iraq | 3.9148452 |
| Ireland | 6.6259856 |
| Israel | 6.426912 |
| Italy | 5.2682943 |
| Jamaica | 2.6934075 |
| Japan | 7.950287 |
| Jordan | 1.8523015 |
| Kazakhstan | 12.550915 |
| Kenya | 0.38907528 |
| Kiribati | 0.52059 |
| Kosovo | 4.927375 |
| Kuwait | 20.507933 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1.4352598 |
| Laos | 3.2350018 |
| Latvia | 3.4598875 |
| Lebanon | 3.3732533 |
| Lesotho | 1.6823804 |
| Liberia | 0.14035974 |
| Libya | 8.346396 |
| Liechtenstein | 3.968452 |
| Lithuania | 4.3662324 |
| Luxembourg | 10.514379 |
| Macao | 1.4812597 |
| Madagascar | 0.14349237 |
| Malawi | 0.08303502 |
| Malaysia | 8.222435 |
| Maldives | 3.9206648 |
| Mali | 0.2844727 |
| Malta | 3.419049 |
| Marshall Islands | 3.9468455 |
| Mauritania | 0.8785762 |
| Mauritius | 3.2498164 |
| Mexico | 3.719935 |
| Micronesia | 1.3271488 |
| Moldova | 1.9439465 |
| Mongolia | 13.656996 |
| Montenegro | 3.6751132 |
| Montserrat | 5.007883 |
| Morocco | 1.8208175 |
| Mozambique | 0.23854156 |
| Myanmar | 0.5584907 |
| Namibia | 1.4087284 |
| Nauru | 4.8318486 |
| Nepal | 0.56162405 |
| Netherlands | 6.558972 |
| New Caledonia | 17.481855 |
| New Zealand | 5.822576 |
| Nicaragua | 0.8189758 |
| Niger | 0.099298455 |
| Nigeria | 0.5640603 |
| Niue | 4.1645846 |
| North Korea | 2.3000906 |
| North Macedonia | 4.0663958 |
| Norway | 7.048346 |
| Oman | 15.549048 |
| Pakistan | 0.8107597 |
| Palau | 12.524928 |
| Palestine | 0.646472 |
| Panama | 3.1440005 |
| Papua New Guinea | 0.80099183 |
| Paraguay | 1.1892326 |
| Peru | 1.6505427 |
| Philippines | 1.3454351 |
| Poland | 7.462856 |
| Portugal | 3.5690808 |
| Qatar | 38.84138 |
| Romania | 3.5692937 |
| Russia | 12.485688 |
| Rwanda | 0.110374644 |
| Saint Helena | 2.091422 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 4.990531 |
| Saint Lucia | 2.8524244 |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 9.740319 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2.3406262 |
| Samoa | 1.1853346 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 0.7197226 |
| Saudi Arabia | 22.132002 |
| Senegal | 0.6583098 |
| Serbia | 6.25373 |
| Seychelles | 4.3061166 |
| Sierra Leone | 0.14555909 |
| Singapore | 8.50786 |
| Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 16.201122 |
| Slovakia | 5.570649 |
| Slovenia | 5.3476315 |
| Solomon Islands | 0.37852964 |
| Somalia | 0.030373413 |
| South Africa | 6.357822 |
| South Korea | 11.15808 |
| South Sudan | 0.13762999 |
| Spain | 4.625513 |
| Sri Lanka | 0.88446206 |
| Sudan | 0.39968696 |
| Suriname | 4.209699 |
| Sweden | 3.46456 |
| Switzerland | 3.6905546 |
| Syria | 1.0808934 |
| Taiwan | 11.200025 |
| Tajikistan | 0.87148154 |
| Tanzania | 0.27119026 |
| Thailand | 3.6873035 |
| Togo | 0.2815926 |
| Tonga | 1.9054133 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 22.8339 |
| Tunisia | 2.687845 |
| Turkey | 4.9510126 |
| Turkmenistan | 8.603866 |
| Tuvalu | 1.1690556 |
| Uganda | 0.11537297 |
| Ukraine | 3.6164947 |
| United Arab Emirates | 21.554382 |
| United Kingdom | 4.4428244 |
| United States | 14.299026 |
| Uruguay | 2.3216505 |
| Uzbekistan | 3.4995892 |
| Vanuatu | 0.7058317 |
| Venezuela | 3.5182285 |
| Vietnam | 3.3355136 |
| Wallis and Futuna | 2.6914165 |
| Yemen | 0.2547522 |
| Zambia | 0.37391114 |
| Zimbabwe | 0.6831985 |
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.