Iran vs South Africa: Long run air pollution

Iran
1.74 million
in 2022
South Africa
1.86 million
in 2022
Iran rank
12th
South Africa rank
11th

Long run air pollution over time

  • Iran
  • South Africa
0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M175018862022

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 1.86 million against 1.74 million in Iran, a difference of 121,520.

That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Iran's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 273 shared years of data; in 1750 it was Iran ahead.

Iran ranks 12th and South Africa ranks 11th of 216 countries.

Across the 28 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 14 and South Africa in 14.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iran South Africa Difference Ahead
1750s 1,799 235.47 1,563 Iran
1760s 1,836 243.29 1,593 Iran
1770s 1,874 251.81 1,622 Iran
1780s 1,913 261.14 1,652 Iran
1790s 1,952 271.39 1,681 Iran
1800s 2,012 283.44 1,728 Iran
1810s 2,096 303.47 1,792 Iran
1820s 2,217 333.15 1,884 Iran
1830s 2,384 367.25 2,017 Iran
1840s 2,556 406.55 2,149 Iran
1850s 2,723 564.39 2,159 Iran
1860s 2,901 830.09 2,071 Iran
1870s 3,254 1,272 1,982 Iran
1880s 3,788 1,919 1,869 Iran
1890s 4,313 8,390 4,077 South Africa
1900s 4,826 23,835 19,008 South Africa
1910s 8,733 56,434 47,700 South Africa
1920s 16,688 89,633 72,944 South Africa
1930s 23,499 111,651 88,152 South Africa
1940s 32,268 195,923 163,655 South Africa
1950s 63,236 322,994 259,759 South Africa
1960s 173,896 460,756 286,861 South Africa
1970s 394,899 988,337 593,438 South Africa
1980s 658,872 1.21 million 552,743 South Africa
1990s 1.10 million 1.59 million 490,990 South Africa
2000s 1.44 million 2.08 million 631,935 South Africa
2010s 1.78 million 2.24 million 455,117 South Africa
2020s 1.68 million 1.88 million 207,387 South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher long run air pollution, Iran or South Africa?
South Africa, at 1.86 million against 1.74 million in Iran as of 2022.
What is the difference in long run air pollution between Iran and South Africa?
121,520, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and South Africa?
273 years are reported by both, from 1750 to 2022.
How do Iran and South Africa rank globally for long run air pollution?
Iran ranks 12th and South Africa ranks 11th of 216 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Our World in Data, published as Long run air pollution. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Iran vs South Africa: Long run air pollution. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 18 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/long-run-air-pollution/iran-islamic-rep/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Long run air pollution
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
220 places, 60,060 data points, 1750–2022
Last refreshed