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Afghanistan vs Iran

28 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is Afghanistan; the dashed grey line is Iran.

Country A · Afghanistan
Country B · Iran

Climate

CO2 emissions

Afghanistan: 10.8 Mt CO2/year · 2024Iran: 792.6 Mt CO2/year · 2024
05001960198020002020Iranhigh 2011

Carbon dioxide released each year from burning fossil fuels and industry. The main driver of global warming. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

CO2 emissions per person

Afghanistan: 0.25 t CO2/person/year · 2024Iran: 8.66 t CO2/person/year · 2024
051960198020002020Iranhigh 2011

Each person's share of their country's yearly CO2 emissions. A fairer way to compare countries of very different sizes. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Temperature anomaly

Afghanistan: 1.27 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Iran: 1.37 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-2019401960198020002020Iranhigh 2021low 1957

How much warmer or cooler a country's year was compared with its 1991-2020 average. Watch the map turn red as you move the slider towards today. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Methane emissions

Afghanistan: 16.6 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Iran: 171.0 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501001501850190019502000Iran

Methane traps around 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years. It comes mainly from livestock, rice, landfill and leaky fossil fuel infrastructure. Global Carbon Project / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

All greenhouse gases

Afghanistan: 39.9 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Iran: 1,012 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
05001k1850190019502000Iran

Every warming gas combined: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, expressed as CO2-equivalents. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Nitrous oxide emissions

Afghanistan: 4.35 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Iran: 32.1 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
01020301850190019502000Iranhigh 2017

N2O is nearly 300 times more warming than CO2 and comes mostly from fertilised farmland and livestock. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Aviation emissions per person

Afghanistan: 3.44 kg CO2/person/year · 2024Iran: 7.50 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
02040201420162018202020222024Iran

Each person's share of the CO2 from flights taking off in their country, including passengers and freight. ICCT / Graver et al. via Our World in Data

Energy

Energy use per person

Afghanistan: 990.5 kWh/person/year · 2023Iran: 39,204 kWh/person/year · 2024
020k40k19801990200020102020Iranhigh 1988low 2002

How much energy each person uses in a year, across electricity, transport, heating and industry. Energy Institute / Ember via Our World in Data

Solar electricity

Afghanistan: 11.1 % of electricity · 2024Iran: 0.23 % of electricity · 2025
051020002005201020152020Iran

The share of a country's electricity generated from solar panels. The fastest-growing energy source in history. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Wind electricity

Afghanistan: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024Iran: 0.32 % of electricity · 2025
00.10.20.320002005201020152020Iran

The share of a country's electricity generated from wind turbines, onshore and offshore. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

Afghanistan: 3.03 % of electricity · 2024Iran: 0.18 % of electricity · 2025
05101520002005201020152020Iranhigh 2006

The share of electricity still generated by burning coal, the most polluting fuel. The number that must reach zero first. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Oil electricity

Afghanistan: 10.1 % of electricity · 2024Iran: 4.57 % of electricity · 2025
0204020002005201020152020Iranlow 2015

The share of a country's electricity generated by burning oil. Rare on big grids, still common on islands. Ember via Our World in Data

Gas electricity

Afghanistan: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024Iran: 89.5 % of electricity · 2025
05020002005201020152020Iran

The share of a country's electricity generated from natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel but still a fossil fuel. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Afghanistan: 7.87 ha/year · 2024Iran: 61.1 ha/year · 2024
02004002005201020152020Iranhigh 2007low 2015

Forest area lost each year to fire, logging, farming and storms. Not all loss is permanent deforestation, but the trend matters. Global Forest Watch (Hansen/UMD) via Our World in Data

Forest area

Afghanistan: 1.85 % of land · 2025Iran: 6.63 % of land · 2025
02461990200020102020Iran

How much of a country's land is covered by forest. FAO via Our World in Data

Deaths from natural disasters

Afghanistan: 522.4 deaths/year · 2021Iran: 26.2 deaths/year · 2021
010k20k20002005201020152020Iranhigh 2008

People killed by floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves, earthquakes and other disasters each year. Single events dominate single years. IHME Global Burden of Disease via Our World in Data

Red List Index

Afghanistan: 0.92 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Iran: 0.86 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.51200020102020Iranlow 2019

Tracks extinction risk across all assessed species. 1 means no species at risk; falling values mean wildlife sliding towards extinction. IUCN / SDG 15.5.1 via Our World in Data

Protected land

Afghanistan: 3.60 % of land area · 2024Iran: 8.60 % of land area · 2024
05201420162018202020222024Iran

The share of a country's land under legal protection for nature. The global 30x30 target aims for 30% by 2030. World Bank / UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Meat supply per person

Afghanistan: 6.39 kg/person/year · 2023Iran: 29.9 kg/person/year · 2023
02040198020002020Iranhigh 1982

Meat available for consumption per person. Livestock drives around 15% of global emissions and most deforestation. FAO via Our World in Data

Nitrogen fertiliser use

Afghanistan: 4.40 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Iran: 51.4 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
0204060198020002020Iranhigh 2017

Nitrogen applied per hectare of cropland. It feeds half the world, but runoff chokes rivers and coastal seas. FAO via Our World in Data

Urban population

Afghanistan: 25.9 % living in cities · 2025Iran: 77.4 % living in cities · 2025
0501960198020002020Iran

The share of people living in towns and cities. Urbanisation shapes energy use, land use and how people experience climate change. UN World Urbanization Prospects via Our World in Data

Water

Water stress

Afghanistan: 54.8 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Iran: 81.3 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
05020002005201020152020Iran

How much of a country's renewable freshwater is withdrawn each year. Above 25% counts as stressed; above 100% means drawing down reserves. FAO AQUASTAT (SDG 6.4.2) via Our World in Data

Renewable water per person

Afghanistan: 1,162 m³/person/year · 2022Iran: 1,435 m³/person/year · 2022
02k4k6k198020002020Iran

Each person's share of the country's renewable freshwater. Below 1,700 m³ is water stress; below 1,000 m³ is scarcity. FAO AQUASTAT via Our World in Data

Safely managed drinking water

Afghanistan: 30.6 % of population · 2024Iran: 94.4 % of population · 2024
05010020002005201020152020Iran

The share of people with safe drinking water at home, available when needed and free from contamination. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Annual precipitation

Afghanistan: 266.2 mm/year · 2025Iran: 212.2 mm/year · 2025
020040060019401960198020002020Iranhigh 1953low 1946

Total rain and snow that fell over a country in a year, averaged across its land area. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Rainfall anomaly

Afghanistan: -28.1 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Iran: -24.5 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
05019401960198020002020Iranhigh 1953low 1946

How much wetter (teal) or drier (brown) a country's year was compared with its 1961-1990 average. A simple drought and deluge signal. Derived from Copernicus ERA5 precipitation via Our World in Data

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

Afghanistan: 40.0 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Iran: 37.7 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
0204020002005201020152020Iran

Average exposure to fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³. World Bank / van Donkelaar et al. via Our World in Data

Ozone-depleting substances

Afghanistan: 6.05 ODP tonnes/year · 2020Iran: 123.8 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
05k10k1990200020102020Iranhigh 1995low 1989

Consumption of chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Watch the map fade towards zero: the Montreal Protocol is the world's most successful environmental treaty. UN Environment Programme via Our World in Data