China vs South Africa: Changes in energy use vs. changes in GDP per capita
Changes in energy use vs. changes in GDP per capita over time
- China
- South Africa
How they compare
China currently reports 28,100 kilowatt-hours against 21,800 kilowatt-hours in South Africa, a difference of 6,300 kilowatt-hours.
That makes China's figure about 1.3 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 26 shared years of data; in 1995 it was South Africa ahead.
China ranks 36th and South Africa ranks 39th of 43 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9,016 kilowatt-hours | 23,260 kilowatt-hours | 14,244 kilowatt-hours | South Africa |
| 2000s | 12,460 kilowatt-hours | 22,970 kilowatt-hours | 10,510 kilowatt-hours | South Africa |
| 2010s | 21,990 kilowatt-hours | 21,520 kilowatt-hours | 470 kilowatt-hours | China |
| 2020s | 28,100 kilowatt-hours | 21,800 kilowatt-hours | 6,300 kilowatt-hours | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp per capita, China or South Africa?
- China, at 28,100 kilowatt-hours against 21,800 kilowatt-hours in South Africa as of 2020.
- What is the difference in changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp per capita between China and South Africa?
- 6,300 kilowatt-hours, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and South Africa?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 1995 to 2020.
- How do China and South Africa rank globally for changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp per capita?
- China ranks 36th and South Africa ranks 39th of 43 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Kulionis (2021) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Changes in energy use vs. changes in GDP per capita. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Consumption-based (trade-adjusted) primary energy use measures domestic energy use minus energy used to produce exported goods, plus energy used to produce imported goods. Gross domestic product (GDP) is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.