China vs USSR: Coal consumption by region

China
25,622
in 2025
USSR
3,933
in 1984
China rank
1st
USSR rank
2nd

Coal consumption by region over time

  • China
  • USSR
05.0k10.0k15.0k20.0k25.0k196519952025

How they compare

China currently reports 25,622 against 3,933 in USSR, a difference of 21,689.

That makes China's figure about 6.5 times USSR's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 20 shared years of data; in 1965 it was USSR ahead.

China ranks 1st and USSR ranks 2nd of 78 countries.

USSR has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade China USSR Difference Ahead
1960s 1,358 3,594 2,236 USSR
1970s 2,632 3,891 1,260 USSR
1980s 3,822 3,938 115.71 USSR

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher coal consumption by region, China or USSR?
China, at 25,622 against 3,933 in USSR as of 2025.
What is the difference in coal consumption by region between China and USSR?
21,689, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and USSR?
20 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 1984.
How do China and USSR rank globally for coal consumption by region?
China ranks 1st and USSR ranks 2nd of 78 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Our World in Data, published as Coal consumption by region. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Coal consumption by region
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
81 places, 4,378 data points, 1965–2025
Last refreshed