Countries in South America Ranked by CO2 emissions (total) (2024)
CO2 emissions (total): each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Brazil ranks #1 with 491.5 Mt CO2e. That is 2.7 times Argentina in second place (183.3 Mt CO2e). The top five are Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, RB, Colombia and Chile. Together the top 10 account for 99.4% of the total across the 12 countries in South America listed. The median across all 12 is 58.6 Mt CO2e; Suriname is last at 2.58 Mt CO2e. Brazil's figure has risen 41% since 2000 (349.4 Mt CO2e to 491.5 Mt CO2e in 2024).
- #1
- Brazil · 491.5 Mt CO2e
- Median
- 58.6 Mt CO2e
- Coverage
- 12 countries in South America
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Brazil 44.2%Argentina 16.5%Venezuela, RB 8.7%Colombia 8.5%Chile 7.0%All others 15.2%
Full ranking
About the top 10
#1 Brazil
Brazil ranks #1 on this list with 491.5 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Brasília
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 212.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.28 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,713 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.
Also ranks #1 in new businesses registered · #2 in forest area · #3 in external debt stocks.
#2 Argentina
Argentina ranks #2 on this list with 183.3 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Buenos Aires
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 45.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$683.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,898 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Córdoba.
Also ranks #1 in inflation rate · #2 in access to clean cooking fuels · #2 in deposit interest rate.
#3 Venezuela, RB
Venezuela, RB ranks #3 on this list with 96.4 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Caracas
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 28.52 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$99.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,495 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia.
Also ranks #1 in time to start a business (days) · #3 in protected terrestrial area share · #11 in refugee population by origin.
#4 Colombia
Colombia ranks #4 on this list with 95.1 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Bogotá
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 53.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$457.41 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,562 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 78.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali.
Also ranks #1 in income share of richest 10% · #1 in gini index · #4 in women in ministerial positions share.
#5 Chile
Chile ranks #5 on this list with 77.8 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Santiago
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 19.86 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$357.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$17,995 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santiago, Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #5 in mineral rents share of gdp · #7 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #10 in fish production.
#6 Peru
Peru ranks #6 on this list with 69.3 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Lima
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 34.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$334.85 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lima, Arequipa.
Also ranks #5 in fish production · #6 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#7 Ecuador
Ecuador ranks #7 on this list with 48 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Quito
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 18.29 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$130.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,125 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Guayaquil, Quito.
Also ranks #5 in homicide rate · #9 in gini index · #9 in women in ministerial positions share.
#8 Bolivia
Bolivia ranks #8 on this list with 28.4 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- La Paz, Sucre
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$64.77 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,148 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Also ranks #2 in real effective exchange rate index · #3 in bank branches per 100,000 adults · #4 in women in parliament share.
#9 Uruguay
Uruguay ranks #9 on this list with 8.7 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Montevideo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 3.38 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$85.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$25,216 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Montevideo.
Also ranks #1 in atms per 100,000 adults · #3 in agricultural land share · #5 in suicide mortality rate.
#10 Paraguay
Paraguay ranks #10 on this list with 8.03 Mt CO2e.
- Capital
- Asunción
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 7.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$49.28 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,027 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in official exchange rate · #11 in income share of richest 10% · #14 in gini index.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
CO2 emissions (total): each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator EN.GHG.CO2.MT.CE.AR5. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e): EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission; International Energy Agency (IEA).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.