Australia vs South Africa: Fossil fuel consumption per capita by source
Australia
15,029 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2025
South Africa
15,640 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2025
Australia rank
7th
South Africa rank
4th
Fossil fuel consumption per capita by source over time
- Australia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 15,640 kilowatt-hours per person against 15,029 kilowatt-hours per person in Australia, a difference of 611 kilowatt-hours per person.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 61 shared years of data; in 1965 it was Australia ahead.
Australia ranks 7th and South Africa ranks 4th of 79 countries.
Australia has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Australia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18,237 kilowatt-hours per person | 14,508 kilowatt-hours per person | 3,730 kilowatt-hours per person | Australia |
| 1970s | 19,561 kilowatt-hours per person | 15,393 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,168 kilowatt-hours per person | Australia |
| 1980s | 23,262 kilowatt-hours per person | 19,862 kilowatt-hours per person | 3,400 kilowatt-hours per person | Australia |
| 1990s | 27,364 kilowatt-hours per person | 18,480 kilowatt-hours per person | 8,884 kilowatt-hours per person | Australia |
| 2000s | 31,088 kilowatt-hours per person | 19,216 kilowatt-hours per person | 11,873 kilowatt-hours per person | Australia |
| 2010s | 22,800 kilowatt-hours per person | 18,124 kilowatt-hours per person | 4,675 kilowatt-hours per person | Australia |
| 2020s | 16,408 kilowatt-hours per person | 15,501 kilowatt-hours per person | 907.88 kilowatt-hours per person | Australia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher fossil fuel consumption per capita by source, Australia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 15,640 kilowatt-hours per person against 15,029 kilowatt-hours per person in Australia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in fossil fuel consumption per capita by source between Australia and South Africa?
- 611 kilowatt-hours per person, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and South Africa?
- 61 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 2025.
- How do Australia and South Africa rank globally for fossil fuel consumption per capita by source?
- Australia ranks 7th and South Africa ranks 4th of 79 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Fossil fuel consumption per capita by source. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per person.