Environment rankings
Carbon emissions, methane output, air quality, water stress — these rankings put the state of the planet in country-by-country terms. Compare who pollutes most, who faces the greatest environmental pressure, and where the numbers are heading.
Countries by PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter)
Niger ranks first in population-weighted PM2.5 exposure at 85.12 micrograms per cubic meter, the highest recorded across all 200 countries in this dataset. Finland sits at the opposite end with 4.90 micrograms per cubic meter. The gap between these two countries spans more than 1,600 percent, reflecting a stark divide in ambient air quality across global regions.
Countries by Total greenhouse gas emissions including LULUCF (Mt CO2e)
China ranks 1st in total greenhouse gas emissions including LULUCF with 14,065.28 Mt CO2e in 2023, more than twice the United States at rank 2 with 4,969.19 Mt CO2e. At the other end, the Central African Republic ranks 176th at -147.59 Mt CO2e, meaning its land use and forestry sectors absorb more carbon than all other sources emit. The gap between first and last reflects both the scale of industrial and energy activity and the role that forest cover plays in net emissions accounting.
Countries by Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e)
China ranks 1st in total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF at 15,536.12 Mt CO2e, more than 2.6 times the United States' 5,912.62 Mt CO2e at rank 2. At the other end, Nauru ranks 203rd with just 0.0014 Mt CO2e. The gap between the top and bottom spans over 11 million percent, reflecting extreme differences in population, industrial scale, and energy systems across the 203 countries measured.
Countries by Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita (t CO2e/capita)
Palau ranks 1st in greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita, recording 86.68 t CO2e per person — more than 930 times the value of last-ranked Northern Mariana Islands at 0.09 t CO2e per capita. Qatar ranks 2nd at 56.95 t CO2e and Bahrain 3rd at 40.55 t CO2e, all small, fossil-fuel-intensive economies at the top. The scale of this gap reflects the extreme variation in energy use, industrial activity, and population size across 203 countries.
Countries by Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e)
India ranks first in agricultural methane (CH4) emissions with 572.27 Mt CO2e, followed by China at 498.98 Mt CO2e and Brazil at 471.81 Mt CO2e. At the opposite end, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau each record 0.00 Mt CO2e. The gap between first and last reflects the vast differences in livestock populations, rice cultivation area, and overall agricultural scale across the 201 countries ranked.
Countries by Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
India ranks 1st in methane emissions from the building sector at 37.74 Mt CO2e, followed by China at 32.75 Mt CO2e. At the bottom, several small territories including Gibraltar, Grenada, and the Faroe Islands record values of exactly zero. The 999% spread between the highest and lowest values reflects the enormous variation in building energy use and cooking fuel composition across countries of vastly different sizes and development profiles.
Countries by Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China leads all 192 ranked countries in methane emissions from fugitive energy sources at 736.76 Mt CO2e, more than 4.4 times the United States at rank 2 with 418.87 Mt CO2e. At the other end, eight countries including Iceland, Malta, and Antigua and Barbuda record exactly zero emissions under this metric. The gap between first and last reflects the vast differences in fossil fuel extraction, coal mining, and petroleum infrastructure across economies.
Countries by Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
India ranks 1st in methane emissions from industrial combustion with 4.3877 Mt CO2e, followed by China at 3.8999 Mt CO2e and Brazil at 2.3739 Mt CO2e. At the other end, 11 countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Eritrea, and Kiribati register exactly zero. The gap between the top and bottom of this ranking spans nearly the entire range of the dataset.
Countries by Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e)
China ranks first in methane emissions from industrial processes with 7.5991 Mt CO2e, a figure nearly 7.4 times larger than second-ranked United States at 1.022 Mt CO2e. At the other end, 17 countries including Bangladesh, Denmark, Iraq, and Pakistan record values of exactly 0 Mt CO2e. The gap between the top and bottom of this ranking reflects the extreme concentration of industrial methane output in a small number of economies.
Countries by Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e)
China leads all 203 countries in methane emissions with 1,485.34 Mt CO2e, more than 1.7 times the second-ranked India at 861.61 Mt CO2e. At the bottom, Nauru registers just 0.0009 Mt CO2e, making the gap between first and last over 1.6 million times. That spread reflects the vast differences in population size, agricultural activity, fossil fuel production, and industrial scale across countries.
Countries by Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China ranks first in methane emissions from the power industry at 4.135 Mt CO2e, more than double the second-ranked United States at 1.997 Mt CO2e. At the other end, eight countries including Albania, Iceland, and Nepal register zero measurable emissions. The gap across 194 countries spans from 4.135 down to 0.000, reflecting vast differences in fossil fuel use in electricity and heat generation.
Countries by Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China leads all 194 countries in methane emissions from transport with 5.542 Mt CO2e, followed by the United States at 3.5925 Mt CO2e and Iran at 2.6688 Mt CO2e. At the other end of the ranking, Kiribati, Dominica, and the British Virgin Islands each record just 0.0001 Mt CO2e. The gap between the top and bottom of the ranking spans more than 5.5 million percent, reflecting the vast differences in fleet size, fuel type, and transport activity across economies.
Countries by Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (% change from 1990)
Equatorial Guinea ranks 1st with methane emissions 3,075.21% above its 1990 baseline, the highest recorded change among 203 countries. At the opposite end, Syria ranks 203rd at -75.97%, the steepest reduction from 1990 levels. The 3,151 percentage point spread reflects the wide divergence in industrialization trajectories, energy sector growth, and agricultural expansion since 1990.
Countries by Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China ranks first in CO2 emissions from buildings at 586.64 Mt CO2e, fractionally ahead of the United States at 557.85 Mt CO2e. At the other end, Dominica records just 0.0067 Mt CO2e, rank 193 of 193. The gap between the top and bottom spans more than 8.7 million percent, reflecting the combined weight of population size, climate, and energy infrastructure.
Countries by Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China tops the ranking of CO2 emissions from industrial combustion with 2,793.02 Mt CO2e, more than four times the output of second-ranked India at 689.15 Mt CO2e. At the other end, the Democratic Republic of Congo records 0 Mt CO2e, placing 193rd. The gap between the highest and lowest values illustrates the extreme concentration of industrial energy activity across a small number of economies.
Countries by Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e)
China ranks 1st in CO2 emissions from industrial processes at 1,396.17 Mt CO2e, more than five times the output of second-ranked India at 258.48 Mt CO2e. At the other end, Nauru and Tuvalu both record 0 Mt CO2e, rounding to zero. The gap between the top and bottom reflects the vast differences in industrial scale, manufacturing activity, and resource extraction across 203 economies.
Countries by Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e)
China ranks first in CO2 emissions excluding LULUCF at 13,124.73 Mt CO2e, nearly three times the United States at rank 2 with 4,632.16 Mt CO2e. At the other end, Nauru and Tuvalu both record 0 Mt CO2e, placing joint 202nd. The gap between the top and bottom of this 203-country ranking spans more than 13,000 Mt CO2e.
Countries by Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions excluding LULUCF per capita (t CO2e/capita)
Palau ranks first in CO2 emissions per capita at 82.84 t CO2e per capita, more than four times the value of second-ranked Qatar at 47.33 t CO2e per capita. At the other end, Nauru and Tuvalu both record 0.00 t CO2e per capita, sharing rank 202. The gap between the highest and lowest values spans more than 82 tonnes per person.
Countries by Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China tops the ranking of CO2 emissions from power industry with 6,577.95 Mt CO2e, more than four times the second-ranked country, India, at 1,506.83 Mt CO2e. At the bottom, Albania and Nepal both register exactly zero, while Costa Rica records just 0.0041 Mt CO2e. The gap between first and last illustrates the extreme concentration of power-sector emissions among a small number of large economies.
Countries by Carbon intensity of GDP (kg CO2e per constant 2015 US$ of GDP)
Palau ranks 1st globally on carbon intensity of GDP with a value of 6.01 kg CO2e per constant 2015 US dollar, more than 90 times the value recorded by Switzerland at rank 188 (0.042). The spread across 199 countries runs from 6.01 down to 0.00, with Nauru and Tuvalu both recording zero. This gap reflects extreme variation in how much CO2 economies emit per unit of output.
Countries by Carbon intensity of GDP (kg CO2e per 2021 PPP $ of GDP)
Palau ranks 1st in carbon intensity of GDP with a value of 4.80 kg CO2e per 2021 PPP dollar, a figure more than six times higher than the second-ranked country, Libya, at 0.69. At the other end, Nauru and Tuvalu both record a value of exactly 0, tied at rank 190. The 191-country spread from 0 to 4.80 reflects the wide variation in how much CO2 emissions different economies produce per unit of economic output.
Countries by Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
The United States leads all 194 countries with 1,678.56 Mt CO2e in annual transport CO2 emissions, more than 1.8 times China's second-place total of 928.70 Mt CO2e. At the other end of the ranking, Dominica records just 0.03 Mt CO2e. The gap between first and last spans a range of over 5.9 million percent, reflecting the enormous differences in population, fleet size, and transport infrastructure across countries.
Countries by F-gases emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e)
China ranks 1st in F-gases emissions from industrial processes at 502.44 Mt CO2e, a figure more than twice that of the 2nd-ranked United States at 221.49 Mt CO2e. At the other end, Suriname ranks 154th with a recorded value of 0 Mt CO2e. The 999% spread between the highest and lowest values reflects extreme concentration of these emissions among a small number of large industrial economies.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e)
China ranks first in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agriculture at 249.49 Mt CO2e, followed by India at 200.37 Mt CO2e and Brazil at 146.31 Mt CO2e. At the opposite end, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau all record 0.00 Mt CO2e. The gap between the top and bottom of the ranking spans nearly 250 Mt CO2e, reflecting the combined weight of agricultural scale, livestock populations, and crop management intensity.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China ranks first in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from buildings at 9.3066 Mt CO2e, followed by India at 8.2803 Mt CO2e and the United States at 5.5429 Mt CO2e. At the other end of the scale, five countries including Brunei Darussalam, the Faroe Islands, and Guam record 0 Mt CO2e. The gap between the top and bottom of this ranking spans more than 9 Mt CO2e, reflecting the combined effect of population size, building stock scale, and fuel use in residential and non-specified sectors.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China ranks 1st in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from fugitive energy sources, recording 0.9269 Mt CO2e. At the other end, 36 countries record exactly 0.00 Mt CO2e, placing them jointly at rank 152. The gap between the highest and lowest values reflects the uneven global distribution of fossil fuel extraction, refining, and coal sector activity.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
India leads all 193 countries in nitrous oxide emissions from industrial combustion with 5.8369 Mt CO2e, narrowly ahead of China at 5.7324 Mt CO2e. At the other end, eight countries including Bermuda, Grenada, and Kiribati record 0 Mt CO2e. The gap between the top and bottom of this ranking spans nearly the entire range of 0 to 5.84 Mt CO2e.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e)
China ranks first in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from industrial processes at 38.52 Mt CO2e, followed by the United States at 33.89 Mt CO2e and the Russian Federation at 23.35 Mt CO2e. At the opposite end, Virgin Islands (U.S.) records 0 Mt CO2e, making the gap between first and last effectively the full range of the dataset. The spread reflects deep differences in the scale and composition of industrial activity across 203 countries.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e)
China leads all 203 ranked countries in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions excluding LULUCF, recording 423.62 Mt CO2e, more than the combined totals of second-ranked India (283.50 Mt CO2e) and third-ranked United States (215.60 Mt CO2e). At the other end, Nauru sits at rank 203 with just 0.0005 Mt CO2e, placing the range at over 84 million percent between first and last. That gap reflects the profound differences in agricultural scale, population size, and industrial activity across the 203 countries covered.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China ranks 1st in nitrous oxide emissions from the power industry at 64.79 Mt CO2e, more than double the combined total of the next four ranked countries. At the other end, six countries including Iceland, Nepal, and Ethiopia record 0.00 Mt CO2e. The gap between the highest and lowest emitters spans nearly the full range of industrial power development.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China ranks first in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from transport with 23.15 Mt CO2e, followed closely by the United States at 20.68 Mt CO2e. At the opposite end, Dominica and the British Virgin Islands each record just 0.0003 Mt CO2e. The gap between the top and bottom of the ranking spans more than 7.7 million percent, reflecting the extreme variation in transport activity and fleet size across 194 countries.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Waste (Mt CO2e)
China ranks first in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from waste at 31.69 Mt CO2e, more than 1.6 times the value of second-ranked India at 18.93 Mt CO2e. At the other end of the ranking, Tuvalu records just 0.0001 Mt CO2e, placing 203rd. The gap between the top and bottom reflects the combined effect of population scale, urbanization levels, and the volume of solid waste and wastewater generated.
Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (% change from 1990)
The Turks and Caicos Islands recorded the highest percentage change in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions since 1990, at 4500% above its 1990 baseline, ranking 1st among 203 countries. At the other end, North Korea (Korea, Dem. People's Rep.) posted the steepest decline at -71.7%, ranking 203rd. The 6,379-percentage-point spread between the top and bottom reflects how differently countries' N2O emission levels have moved since the 1990 reference year.
Countries by Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (% change from 1990)
Equatorial Guinea ranks 1st globally with a 4,294.55% increase in total greenhouse gas emissions relative to its 1990 baseline, while Ukraine sits at the opposite end with a 79.86% decrease (rank 203). The 4,374-percentage-point spread between these two countries reflects the enormous divergence in emissions trajectories since the Kyoto Protocol baseline year of 1990.
Countries by Annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture (% of total freshwater withdrawal)
Somalia leads all 180 countries ranked, with 99.48% of its total freshwater withdrawals going to agriculture. At the opposite end, Monaco, Singapore, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines each record 0%, reflecting entirely different water-use structures. The nearly 100-percentage-point gap between the top and bottom illustrates how sharply agricultural dependence on freshwater varies across economies.
Countries by Annual freshwater withdrawals, domestic (% of total freshwater withdrawal)
Brunei Darussalam leads all 180 ranked countries with a domestic freshwater withdrawal share of 164.67%, a figure that exceeds 100% due to extraction from nonrenewable aquifers or desalination. At the opposite end, Somalia records just 0.45%, reflecting an almost entirely agricultural and industrial allocation of water withdrawals. The 364-fold gap between first and last illustrates how sharply domestic water use priorities and supply structures differ across nations.
Countries by Annual freshwater withdrawals, industry (% of total freshwater withdrawal)
Montenegro leads all 179 countries ranked, with 94.20% of its total freshwater withdrawals going to industry. At the opposite end, six countries including Djibouti and Dominica report 0.00%, meaning industry accounts for none of their recorded freshwater use. The gap between top and bottom reflects fundamentally different economic structures and water-use priorities across the ranking.
Countries by Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources
Kuwait ranks first with a water stress level of 3850.5, meaning its total freshwater withdrawals are roughly 38 times the volume of its renewable freshwater resources. At the opposite end, Congo, Rep. records a value of 0.03, the lowest among all 178 countries covered. The gap between these two countries spans more than 14 million percent, reflecting profound differences in resource availability relative to demand.
Countries by Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (billion cubic meters)
India leads all countries in annual freshwater withdrawals at 647.5 billion cubic meters, followed by China at 568.48 and the United States at 444.29. At the other end, Antigua and Barbuda withdraws just 0.0044 billion cubic meters per year. The gap between first and last spans more than 14 million percent, reflecting vast differences in population, agricultural scale, and water infrastructure.
Countries by Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources)
Egypt, Arab Rep. ranks 1st with annual freshwater withdrawals equal to 7,750% of its internal renewable resources, meaning the country extracts roughly 77 times more water than its natural freshwater base can replenish each year. At the other extreme, Congo, Rep. ranks 177th at just 0.02%. The gap between these two countries reflects the difference between extreme water scarcity supplemented by external sources and vast, underutilized river basin resources.
Countries by Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters)
Iceland ranks 1st with 445,022.68 cubic meters of renewable internal freshwater resources per capita, the highest of any country in this 183-country ranking. Kuwait, at rank 183, records exactly zero. The gap between these two countries spans the full range of natural water availability relative to population size.
Countries by Terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area)
Seychelles leads all 213 countries in terrestrial protected areas, with 68.1% of its total land area under protection. At the other end, Eritrea, Micronesia, Nauru, and Somalia record 0%, leaving the full range at 68.1 percentage points. That gap reflects widely divergent national approaches to designating and reporting protected land.