Understanding the ecological footprint of nations offers valuable insights into global resource consumption and sustainability.
Measured in global hectares (gha) per capita, this metric reflects the amount of biologically productive land and sea area required to supply the resources a person consumes and to absorb their waste. Below is a list of countries with the largest and smallest ecological footprints per capita, based on the most recent available data.
Top 10 Countries with the Largest Ecological Footprint Per Capita
These countries have the highest per-person demand on Earth's ecosystems
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Qatar – 14.3 gha/person
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Luxembourg – 13.0 gha/person
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Cook Islands – 8.3 gha/person
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Bahrain – 8.2 gha/person
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United States – 8.1 gha/person
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United Arab Emirates – 8.1 gha/person
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Canada – 8.1 gha/person
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Estonia – 8.0 gha/person
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Kuwait – 7.9 gha/person
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Belize – 7.9 gha/person
Top 10 Countries with the Smallest Ecological Footprint Per Capita
These nations have the lowest per-person ecological demand:
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Eritrea - 0.5 gha/person
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Timor-Leste (East Timor) - 0.5 gha/person
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Burundi - 0.6 gha/person
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Haiti - 0.7 gha/person
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Democratic Republic of the Congo - 0.8 gha/person
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Afghanistan - 0.8 gha/person
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Pakistan - 0.8 gha/person
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Bangladesh - 0.8 gha/person
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Malawi - 0.8 gha/person
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Comoros - 0.8 gha/person
Interpreting the Data
A higher ecological footprint per capita often correlates with higher levels of consumption, industrial activity, and carbon emissions. Conversely, a lower footprint may indicate limited access to resources, lower consumption levels, or reliance on subsistence economies.
It's important to note that while a smaller ecological footprint per capita suggests lower individual resource use, it doesn't automatically equate to environmental sustainability, especially if it results from poverty or lack of access to essential services.