Sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre was 2.33 units per square kilometre in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
2.33 units per square kilometre
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
43rd
of 207 countries
All-time high
2.82 units per square kilometre
in 2014
All-time low
0.6502 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2022
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre in South Africa is 2.33 units per square kilometre, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 2.82 units per square kilometre in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.6502 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 43rd of 207 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.6502 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.6503 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.678 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1964 | 0.7147 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1965 | 0.7507 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1966 | 0.7803 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1967 | 0.8375 units per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1968 | 0.8894 units per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1969 | 0.9359 units per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1970 | 0.9781 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 1.22 units per square kilometre | +24.7% |
| 1972 | 1.19 units per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 1973 | 1.27 units per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 1974 | 1.28 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 1.35 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1976 | 1.38 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 1.4 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 1.42 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 1.44 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 1.53 units per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1981 | 1.61 units per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1982 | 1.57 units per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 1.52 units per square kilometre | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 1.61 units per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 1.67 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1986 | 1.65 units per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 1.79 units per square kilometre | +8.8% |
| 1988 | 1.8 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 1.85 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 1.91 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 1.84 units per square kilometre | -3.4% |
| 1992 | 1.82 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 1.79 units per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 1.83 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 1.9 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 2.03 units per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1997 | 2.09 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 2.17 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 2.03 units per square kilometre | -6.8% |
| 2000 | 2 units per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 2.27 units per square kilometre | +13.8% |
| 2002 | 2.27 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.37 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 2.51 units per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 2.45 units per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 2.42 units per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 2.51 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 2.75 units per square kilometre | +9.4% |
| 2009 | 2.52 units per square kilometre | -8.5% |
| 2010 | 2.72 units per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 2011 | 2.57 units per square kilometre | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 2.68 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 2.71 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 2.82 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 2.63 units per square kilometre | -7.0% |
| 2016 | 2.63 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 2.61 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 2.66 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 2.75 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 2.43 units per square kilometre | -11.8% |
| 2021 | 2.42 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 2.33 units per square kilometre | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.7652 units per square kilometre | 0.6502 units per square kilometre | 0.9359 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.29 units per square kilometre | 0.9781 units per square kilometre | 1.44 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.66 units per square kilometre | 1.52 units per square kilometre | 1.85 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.94 units per square kilometre | 1.79 units per square kilometre | 2.17 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.41 units per square kilometre | 2 units per square kilometre | 2.75 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.68 units per square kilometre | 2.57 units per square kilometre | 2.82 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.39 units per square kilometre | 2.33 units per square kilometre | 2.43 units per square kilometre | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 40 Palau 2.53 units per square kilometre compare
- 41 American Samoa 2.52 units per square kilometre compare
- 42 Dominican Republic 2.47 units per square kilometre compare
- 44 Uzbekistan 2.33 units per square kilometre compare
- 45 Marshall Islands 2.14 units per square kilometre compare
- 46 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.05 units per square kilometre compare
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 2.5% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 30.3% (2025)
- Gas production 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre in South Africa was 2.33 units per square kilometre in 2022, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.82 units per square kilometre in 2014.
- What is the lowest sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6502 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 43rd out of 207 countries with data for 2022.
- Is sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Sulphur dioxide and coal, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Sulphur dioxide and coal divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Sulphur dioxide and coal ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Sulphur dioxide and coal divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.