Korea vs South Africa: Long run air pollution

Korea
1.63 million
in 2022
South Africa
1.86 million
in 2022
Korea rank
14th
South Africa rank
11th

Long run air pollution over time

  • Korea
  • South Africa
01.0M2.0M3.0M175018862022

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 1.86 million against 1.63 million in Korea, a difference of 227,220.

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

The two have swapped places 3 times across 273 shared years of data; in 1750 it was Korea ahead.

Korea ranks 14th and South Africa ranks 11th of 216 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Korea South Africa Difference Ahead
1750s 1,061 235.47 825.55 Korea
1760s 1,068 243.29 824.9 Korea
1770s 1,075 251.81 823.23 Korea
1780s 1,082 261.14 820.42 Korea
1790s 1,088 271.39 816.28 Korea
1800s 1,094 283.44 810.99 Korea
1810s 1,102 303.47 798.59 Korea
1820s 1,090 333.15 756.45 Korea
1830s 1,075 367.25 708.19 Korea
1840s 1,088 406.55 681.84 Korea
1850s 1,102 564.39 537.32 Korea
1860s 1,118 830.09 287.63 Korea
1870s 1,132 1,272 140.04 South Africa
1880s 1,144 1,919 774.24 South Africa
1890s 1,169 8,390 7,221 South Africa
1900s 1,475 23,835 22,360 South Africa
1910s 2,526 56,434 53,907 South Africa
1920s 4,858 89,633 84,774 South Africa
1930s 10,201 111,651 101,450 South Africa
1940s 18,882 195,923 177,041 South Africa
1950s 26,878 322,994 296,116 South Africa
1960s 76,132 460,756 384,624 South Africa
1970s 285,262 988,337 703,075 South Africa
1980s 637,448 1.21 million 574,166 South Africa
1990s 1.84 million 1.59 million 244,724 Korea
2000s 2.33 million 2.08 million 255,137 Korea
2010s 1.80 million 2.24 million 435,331 South Africa
2020s 1.61 million 1.88 million 270,420 South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher long run air pollution, Korea or South Africa?
South Africa, at 1.86 million against 1.63 million in Korea as of 2022.
What is the difference in long run air pollution between Korea and South Africa?
227,220, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Korea and South Africa?
273 years are reported by both, from 1750 to 2022.
How do Korea and South Africa rank globally for long run air pollution?
Korea ranks 14th 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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Korea vs South Africa: Long run air pollution. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/long-run-air-pollution/korea-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