CO₂ emissions by country since 1900

From the UK's coal age to China's boom: the world's biggest carbon emitters since 1900.

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What the data shows

In 2024, China ranks #1 with 12,289 Mt, ahead of United States (4,904 Mt) and India (3,193 Mt).
Back in 1900, United States was #1 with 664 Mt.
The top spot changed hands once: China in 2006.
Biggest climber: China, from #8 in 1910 to #1 in 2024.
China wasn't on the board in 1900 but is in the top 5 by 2024.

About this chart

Britain was the first industrial emitter, but by 1900 the United States had overtaken it and led for most of the twentieth century. China became the largest annual emitter in the mid-2000s and now emits more than the US and EU combined.

These are annual territorial emissions from fossil fuels and industry. Per person, and in total historical emissions, the ranking looks quite different. Decades are shown until 1990, then every year.

The data

Source: Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (owid/co2-data), annual fossil CO₂ emissions, million tonnes. Retrieved November 3, 2026.

CO₂ emissions by country, Fossil CO₂, million tonnes per year, 1900–2024
Date	🇨🇳 China	🇺🇸 United States	🇮🇳 India	🇷🇺 Russia	🇯🇵 Japan	🇮🇩 Indonesia	🇮🇷 Iran	🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia	🇩🇪 Germany	🇨🇦 Canada	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	🇵🇱 Poland
1900		664 Mt	12 Mt	46 Mt	19 Mt	1 Mt			327 Mt	21 Mt	420 Mt	63 Mt
1910	25 Mt	1,279 Mt	23 Mt	59 Mt	39 Mt	6 Mt			445 Mt	52 Mt	470 Mt	95 Mt
1920	40 Mt	1,747 Mt	35 Mt	19 Mt	74 Mt	8 Mt	5 Mt		429 Mt	84 Mt	480 Mt	76 Mt
1930	50 Mt	1,745 Mt	42 Mt	96 Mt	86 Mt	18 Mt	19 Mt		462 Mt	94 Mt	461 Mt	57 Mt
1940	91 Mt	1,875 Mt	52 Mt	297 Mt	153 Mt	29 Mt	27 Mt	2 Mt	654 Mt	109 Mt	500 Mt	167 Mt
1950	79 Mt	2,541 Mt	61 Mt	415 Mt	103 Mt	10 Mt	10 Mt	5 Mt	510 Mt	154 Mt	499 Mt	112 Mt
1960	799 Mt	2,897 Mt	111 Mt	885 Mt	233 Mt	21 Mt	37 Mt	3 Mt	814 Mt	193 Mt	584 Mt	200 Mt
1970	808 Mt	4,340 Mt	182 Mt	1,441 Mt	770 Mt	36 Mt	92 Mt	45 Mt	1,026 Mt	341 Mt	653 Mt	304 Mt
1980	1,494 Mt	4,730 Mt	292 Mt	2,130 Mt	949 Mt	95 Mt	121 Mt	169 Mt	1,100 Mt	443 Mt	579 Mt	463 Mt
1990	2,484 Mt	5,132 Mt	578 Mt	2,536 Mt	1,155 Mt	155 Mt	211 Mt	182 Mt	1,055 Mt	458 Mt	602 Mt	376 Mt
1991	2,619 Mt	5,076 Mt	615 Mt	2,408 Mt	1,167 Mt	175 Mt	223 Mt	245 Mt	1,017 Mt	450 Mt	609 Mt	373 Mt
1992	2,731 Mt	5,179 Mt	655 Mt	1,963 Mt	1,175 Mt	199 Mt	228 Mt	276 Mt	969 Mt	463 Mt	594 Mt	364 Mt
1993	2,914 Mt	5,280 Mt	677 Mt	1,867 Mt	1,169 Mt	215 Mt	237 Mt	298 Mt	959 Mt	464 Mt	580 Mt	365 Mt
1994	3,094 Mt	5,362 Mt	714 Mt	1,647 Mt	1,223 Mt	219 Mt	265 Mt	291 Mt	943 Mt	478 Mt	574 Mt	360 Mt
1995	3,351 Mt	5,426 Mt	760 Mt	1,618 Mt	1,236 Mt	222 Mt	271 Mt	275 Mt	940 Mt	491 Mt	566 Mt	362 Mt
1996	3,499 Mt	5,601 Mt	824 Mt	1,587 Mt	1,249 Mt	253 Mt	277 Mt	269 Mt	960 Mt	508 Mt	587 Mt	377 Mt
1997	3,512 Mt	5,673 Mt	858 Mt	1,482 Mt	1,241 Mt	280 Mt	269 Mt	227 Mt	932 Mt	522 Mt	563 Mt	367 Mt
1998	3,355 Mt	5,736 Mt	876 Mt	1,466 Mt	1,201 Mt	244 Mt	306 Mt	219 Mt	923 Mt	530 Mt	569 Mt	339 Mt
1999	3,550 Mt	5,800 Mt	961 Mt	1,494 Mt	1,238 Mt	292 Mt	374 Mt	238 Mt	895 Mt	544 Mt	562 Mt	329 Mt
2000	3,644 Mt	6,023 Mt	987 Mt	1,481 Mt	1,260 Mt	281 Mt	367 Mt	310 Mt	899 Mt	567 Mt	569 Mt	317 Mt
2001	3,724 Mt	5,904 Mt	1,001 Mt	1,518 Mt	1,246 Mt	317 Mt	390 Mt	324 Mt	915 Mt	559 Mt	578 Mt	313 Mt
2002	4,098 Mt	5,948 Mt	1,033 Mt	1,508 Mt	1,275 Mt	308 Mt	397 Mt	347 Mt	899 Mt	564 Mt	560 Mt	306 Mt
2003	4,835 Mt	6,006 Mt	1,068 Mt	1,539 Mt	1,284 Mt	339 Mt	411 Mt	351 Mt	895 Mt	581 Mt	572 Mt	319 Mt
2004	5,211 Mt	6,112 Mt	1,135 Mt	1,545 Mt	1,279 Mt	343 Mt	442 Mt	408 Mt	877 Mt	576 Mt	573 Mt	324 Mt
2005	5,882 Mt	6,127 Mt	1,195 Mt	1,564 Mt	1,286 Mt	347 Mt	467 Mt	412 Mt	868 Mt	570 Mt	570 Mt	323 Mt
2006	6,486 Mt	6,045 Mt	1,293 Mt	1,623 Mt	1,263 Mt	346 Mt	501 Mt	445 Mt	886 Mt	566 Mt	568 Mt	336 Mt
2007	6,975 Mt	6,122 Mt	1,393 Mt	1,624 Mt	1,299 Mt	388 Mt	508 Mt	423 Mt	846 Mt	590 Mt	560 Mt	336 Mt
2008	7,492 Mt	5,919 Mt	1,490 Mt	1,653 Mt	1,229 Mt	365 Mt	529 Mt	469 Mt	857 Mt	574 Mt	545 Mt	329 Mt
2009	7,881 Mt	5,486 Mt	1,613 Mt	1,545 Mt	1,160 Mt	399 Mt	543 Mt	504 Mt	790 Mt	541 Mt	494 Mt	316 Mt
2010	8,610 Mt	5,669 Mt	1,679 Mt	1,633 Mt	1,211 Mt	445 Mt	561 Mt	556 Mt	827 Mt	554 Mt	512 Mt	334 Mt
2011	9,520 Mt	5,539 Mt	1,766 Mt	1,685 Mt	1,261 Mt	500 Mt	576 Mt	540 Mt	805 Mt	563 Mt	470 Mt	333 Mt
2012	9,767 Mt	5,331 Mt	1,927 Mt	1,700 Mt	1,302 Mt	516 Mt	599 Mt	606 Mt	814 Mt	562 Mt	487 Mt	326 Mt
2013	9,942 Mt	5,473 Mt	1,995 Mt	1,638 Mt	1,312 Mt	493 Mt	610 Mt	583 Mt	832 Mt	569 Mt	478 Mt	322 Mt
2014	9,976 Mt	5,531 Mt	2,148 Mt	1,637 Mt	1,260 Mt	498 Mt	644 Mt	585 Mt	793 Mt	565 Mt	439 Mt	309 Mt
2015	9,858 Mt	5,368 Mt	2,232 Mt	1,635 Mt	1,220 Mt	551 Mt	642 Mt	625 Mt	801 Mt	563 Mt	422 Mt	313 Mt
2016	9,748 Mt	5,245 Mt	2,353 Mt	1,629 Mt	1,200 Mt	548 Mt	645 Mt	641 Mt	798 Mt	554 Mt	399 Mt	323 Mt
2017	10,000 Mt	5,195 Mt	2,426 Mt	1,661 Mt	1,184 Mt	571 Mt	696 Mt	644 Mt	785 Mt	567 Mt	387 Mt	337 Mt
2018	10,347 Mt	5,361 Mt	2,595 Mt	1,710 Mt	1,139 Mt	607 Mt	665 Mt	652 Mt	759 Mt	575 Mt	380 Mt	336 Mt
2019	10,714 Mt	5,236 Mt	2,611 Mt	1,704 Mt	1,102 Mt	665 Mt	727 Mt	708 Mt	709 Mt	579 Mt	365 Mt	317 Mt
2020	10,897 Mt	4,690 Mt	2,423 Mt	1,632 Mt	1,037 Mt	623 Mt	746 Mt	654 Mt	647 Mt	524 Mt	326 Mt	302 Mt
2021	11,284 Mt	5,020 Mt	2,676 Mt	1,675 Mt	1,059 Mt	633 Mt	780 Mt	695 Mt	678 Mt	537 Mt	342 Mt	331 Mt
2022	11,712 Mt	5,055 Mt	2,831 Mt	1,675 Mt	1,030 Mt	758 Mt	767 Mt	667 Mt	668 Mt	548 Mt	311 Mt	315 Mt
2023	12,172 Mt	4,918 Mt	3,063 Mt	1,733 Mt	987 Mt	762 Mt	790 Mt	677 Mt	594 Mt	545 Mt	308 Mt	283 Mt
2024	12,289 Mt	4,904 Mt	3,193 Mt	1,781 Mt	962 Mt	812 Mt	793 Mt	692 Mt	572 Mt	533 Mt	313 Mt	273 Mt

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Frequently asked questions

Which country emits the most CO₂?

In 2024, China ranks #1 with 12,289 Mt, followed by United States (4,904 Mt) and India (3,193 Mt). Source: Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (owid/co2-data), annual fossil CO₂ emissions, million tonnes.

Where does this data come from?

Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (owid/co2-data), annual fossil CO₂ emissions, million tonnes. Retrieved November 3, 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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