Latitudinal distribution (40 ¿N to 32 ¿S) of a number of synthetic halogenated species show that for unreactive species (i.e., fluorocarbon 12(F 12), F 11, F 113, F 114, F 13B1, SF6 and CCl4) the northern hemispheric (NH) burden is only 5 to 10% higher than the southern hemispheric (SH) value. The mean NH/SH concentration ratios for 1.1.1-trichloroethane: dichloromethane: chloroform: 1.2 dichloroethane: and tetrachloroethene are found to be 1.34, 1.80, 1.90, 2.64, and 5.80, respectively. When compared with available emissions data, the atmospheric budget of these species are compatible with atmospheric residence times (years) of 100(+100/-40), 60(+40/-20), 9(+2/-1), 0.9(¿0.3), 0.6(¿0.2), and 0.6(¿0.2) for F 12: F 11: 1.1.1-tricholoroethane: dichloromethane: 1.2-dichloroethane: and tetrachloroethene, respectively. A 'mean hydroxyl radical' concentration of 4--6¿105 mol cm3 and an average interhemispheric exchange rate of 1.2 years best fit the observational data. Based on measurements conducted at 39 ¿N during the period of November 1979 to December 1981, mean atmospheric growth rates of 26(¿5), 15(¿3), 13(¿3), and 6(¿3) ppt/yr, are found for F 12, F 11, 1,1,1 trichloroethane: and carbon tetrachloride, respectively. The F 12 and F 11 measured growth rates are larger than those predicted from emissions data. Oceanic surface water measurements in the Eastern Pacific show that F 12, F 11, and F 113 concentrations are in rough equilibrium with air concentrations, carbon tetrachloride is significantly undersaturated (~25%), and chloroform, dichloromethane, trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene are oversaturated.