Pakistan vs South Africa: Long run air pollution

Pakistan
1.68 million
in 2022
South Africa
1.86 million
in 2022
Pakistan rank
13th
South Africa rank
11th

Long run air pollution over time

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

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 1.86 million against 1.68 million in Pakistan, a difference of 180,550.

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

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

Pakistan ranks 13th and South Africa ranks 11th of 216 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Pakistan South Africa Difference Ahead
1750s 1,523 235.47 1,288 Pakistan
1760s 1,550 243.29 1,307 Pakistan
1770s 1,577 251.81 1,325 Pakistan
1780s 1,604 261.14 1,343 Pakistan
1790s 1,632 271.39 1,361 Pakistan
1800s 1,678 283.44 1,394 Pakistan
1810s 1,800 303.47 1,496 Pakistan
1820s 1,998 333.15 1,665 Pakistan
1830s 2,217 367.25 1,849 Pakistan
1840s 2,458 406.55 2,051 Pakistan
1850s 2,734 564.39 2,169 Pakistan
1860s 3,035 830.09 2,205 Pakistan
1870s 3,377 1,272 2,105 Pakistan
1880s 3,689 1,919 1,770 Pakistan
1890s 4,079 8,390 4,311 South Africa
1900s 5,854 23,835 17,981 South Africa
1910s 9,745 56,434 46,688 South Africa
1920s 14,889 89,633 74,743 South Africa
1930s 22,228 111,651 89,423 South Africa
1940s 34,204 195,923 161,719 South Africa
1950s 87,120 322,994 235,874 South Africa
1960s 180,552 460,756 280,204 South Africa
1970s 302,666 988,337 685,671 South Africa
1980s 478,260 1.21 million 733,356 South Africa
1990s 737,444 1.59 million 854,383 South Africa
2000s 1.15 million 2.08 million 924,028 South Africa
2010s 1.44 million 2.24 million 796,409 South Africa
2020s 1.67 million 1.88 million 214,400 South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher long run air pollution, Pakistan or South Africa?
South Africa, at 1.86 million against 1.68 million in Pakistan as of 2022.
What is the difference in long run air pollution between Pakistan and South Africa?
180,550, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Pakistan and South Africa?
273 years are reported by both, from 1750 to 2022.
How do Pakistan and South Africa rank globally for long run air pollution?
Pakistan ranks 13th 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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Pakistan vs South Africa: Long run air pollution. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 21 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/long-run-air-pollution/pakistan/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