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Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan

27 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is Sri Lanka; the dashed grey line is Afghanistan.

Country A · Sri Lanka
Country B · Afghanistan

Climate

CO2 emissions

Sri Lanka: 20.8 Mt CO2/year · 2024Afghanistan: 10.8 Mt CO2/year · 2024
010201960198020002020Afghanistanhigh 2016low 1956

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

Sri Lanka: 0.90 t CO2/person/year · 2024Afghanistan: 0.25 t CO2/person/year · 2024
00.511960198020002020Afghanistanhigh 2016low 1956

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

Sri Lanka: 0.36 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Afghanistan: 1.27 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-2019401960198020002020Afghanistanhigh 2024low 1942

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

Sri Lanka: 11.1 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Afghanistan: 16.6 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0510151850190019502000Afghanistanlow 1851

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

Sri Lanka: 42.7 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Afghanistan: 39.9 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501850190019502000Afghanistanhigh 1962low 1879

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

Sri Lanka: 2.04 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Afghanistan: 4.35 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0241850190019502000Afghanistanhigh 2020

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

Sri Lanka: 72.5 kg CO2/person/year · 2018Afghanistan: 3.44 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
0204060201320142015201620172018Afghanistan

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

Sri Lanka: 4,819 kWh/person/year · 2024Afghanistan: 990.5 kWh/person/year · 2023
02k4k197019801990200020102020Afghanistanhigh 2018

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

Sri Lanka: 16.5 % of electricity · 2025Afghanistan: 11.1 % of electricity · 2024
0510151990200020102020Afghanistan

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

Sri Lanka: 5.39 % of electricity · 2025Afghanistan: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024
0241990200020102020Afghanistan

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

Coal electricity

Sri Lanka: 27.5 % of electricity · 2025Afghanistan: 3.03 % of electricity · 2024
02040201520202025Afghanistanhigh 2020

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

Sri Lanka: 10.8 % of electricity · 2025Afghanistan: 10.1 % of electricity · 2024
0204060200020052010201520202025Afghanistanhigh 2004

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

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Sri Lanka: 11,720 ha/year · 2024Afghanistan: 7.87 ha/year · 2024
05k10k15k2005201020152020Afghanistanhigh 2016low 2003

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

Sri Lanka: 34.3 % of land · 2025Afghanistan: 1.85 % of land · 2025
020401990200020102020Afghanistanlow 2015

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

Deaths from natural disasters

Sri Lanka: 34.1 deaths/year · 2021Afghanistan: 522.4 deaths/year · 2021
010k20k30k20002005201020152020Afghanistanhigh 2004low 2001

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

Sri Lanka: 0.56 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Afghanistan: 0.92 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.51200020102020Afghanistanlow 2022

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

Sri Lanka: 30.0 % of land area · 2024Afghanistan: 3.60 % of land area · 2024
0102030201420162018202020222024Afghanistan

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

Sri Lanka: 11.6 kg/person/year · 2023Afghanistan: 6.39 kg/person/year · 2023
01020198020002020Afghanistanhigh 2021low 1988

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

Sri Lanka: 46.5 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Afghanistan: 4.40 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
050100198020002020Afghanistanhigh 2020low 1963

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

Sri Lanka: 20.5 % living in cities · 2025Afghanistan: 25.9 % living in cities · 2025
010201960198020002020Afghanistanhigh 1972low 2001

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

Sri Lanka: 90.8 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Afghanistan: 54.8 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
05020002005201020152020Afghanistanlow 2005

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

Sri Lanka: 2,380 m³/person/year · 2022Afghanistan: 1,162 m³/person/year · 2022
02k4k198020002020Afghanistan

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

Sri Lanka: 46.9 % of population · 2024Afghanistan: 30.6 % of population · 2024
0204020002005201020152020Afghanistanhigh 2018

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

Sri Lanka: 2,057 mm/year · 2025Afghanistan: 266.2 mm/year · 2025
01k2k19401960198020002020Afghanistanhigh 2023low 1950

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

Sri Lanka: 25.7 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Afghanistan: -28.1 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
05019401960198020002020Afghanistanhigh 2023low 1950

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)

Sri Lanka: 20.7 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Afghanistan: 40.0 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
0204020002005201020152020Afghanistanhigh 2018

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

Sri Lanka: 8.58 ODP tonnes/year · 2021Afghanistan: 6.05 ODP tonnes/year · 2020
02004006001990200020102020Afghanistanhigh 1996low 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