How does Zambia rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?

Zambia ranks 37th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.

Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in Zambia?

Over the last ten years it is down 49.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Zambia data come from?

The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Zambia

Name: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Zambia
Creator: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Zambia: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions was 239,970 tonnes in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)

239,970 tonnes

Change on year

up 126.8%

World rank

37th

of 220 countries

All-time high

1.91 million tonnes

in 1974

All-time low

50.26 tonnes

in 1750

Years of data

273

1750–2022

Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Zambia, 1750–2022

Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.

Analysis

Zambia recorded 239,970 tonnes for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in 2022.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 126.8% on the previous year and down 49.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Zambia peaked at 1.91 million tonnes in 1974 and was at its lowest, 50.26 tonnes, in 1750.

Zambia ranks 37th of 220 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1750s	50.3 tonnes	50.26 tonnes	50.34 tonnes	10
1760s	50.38 tonnes	50.35 tonnes	50.42 tonnes	10
1770s	50.46 tonnes	50.43 tonnes	50.49 tonnes	10
1780s	50.52 tonnes	50.49 tonnes	50.55 tonnes	10
1790s	50.58 tonnes	50.55 tonnes	50.6 tonnes	10
1800s	50.62 tonnes	50.6 tonnes	50.63 tonnes	10
1810s	50.76 tonnes	50.64 tonnes	50.89 tonnes	10
1820s	51.04 tonnes	50.92 tonnes	51.16 tonnes	10
1830s	51.3 tonnes	51.18 tonnes	51.41 tonnes	10
1840s	51.54 tonnes	51.43 tonnes	51.65 tonnes	10
1850s	51.86 tonnes	51.67 tonnes	52.05 tonnes	10
1860s	55.96 tonnes	52.09 tonnes	62.46 tonnes	10
1870s	72.96 tonnes	64.21 tonnes	82.38 tonnes	10
1880s	96.26 tonnes	84.7 tonnes	108.7 tonnes	10
1890s	127.02 tonnes	111.76 tonnes	143.46 tonnes	10
1900s	167.73 tonnes	147.5 tonnes	189.52 tonnes	10
1910s	221.6 tonnes	194.87 tonnes	250.38 tonnes	10
1920s	7,245 tonnes	257.46 tonnes	27,021 tonnes	10
1930s	316,419 tonnes	9,020 tonnes	561,790 tonnes	10
1940s	562,758 tonnes	446,036 tonnes	691,937 tonnes	10
1950s	864,111 tonnes	666,740 tonnes	1.41 million tonnes	10
1960s	1.67 million tonnes	1.45 million tonnes	1.85 million tonnes	10
1970s	1.78 million tonnes	1.55 million tonnes	1.91 million tonnes	10
1980s	1.28 million tonnes	680,539 tonnes	1.61 million tonnes	10
1990s	679,579 tonnes	447,898 tonnes	934,562 tonnes	10
2000s	419,080 tonnes	251,386 tonnes	687,481 tonnes	10
2010s	299,783 tonnes	137,756 tonnes	492,350 tonnes	10
2020s	173,848 tonnes	105,792 tonnes	239,970 tonnes	3

Countries ranked near Zambia

34 Cuba 268,354 tonnes compare
35 Laos 256,495 tonnes compare
36 Turkmenistan 249,083 tonnes compare
38 Spain 236,196 tonnes compare
39 Bosnia and Herzegovina 232,714 tonnes compare
40 Netherlands 213,298 tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More energy & mining data for Zambia

Fuel imports 22.9% (2024)
Ores and metals imports 4.0% (2024)
Ores and metals exports 73.0% (2024)
Gas production 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Fossil fuel production by fuel 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
Gas production per person 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Fuel exports 2.7% (2024)
Electric power transmission and distribution losses 5.3% (2023)
Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 71.0% (2023)

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Zambia?: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Zambia was 239,970 tonnes in 2022, according to Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in Zambia?: The highest recorded value was 1.91 million tonnes in 1974.
What is the lowest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in Zambia?: The lowest recorded value was 50.26 tonnes in 1750.
How does Zambia rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?: Zambia ranks 37th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in Zambia?: Over the last ten years it is down 49.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Zambia data come from?: The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 273 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions
Unit: tonnes
Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 220 places, 60,060 data points, 1750–2022
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is an air pollutant formed from the burning of fuels that contain sulfur, such as coal. SO₂ is one of the main chemicals that forms acid rain.