What is the difference in fossil fuel consumption between United States and USSR?

7,765 terawatt-hours, with United States ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for United States and USSR?

20 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 1984.

Where does this data come from?

Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Fossil fuel consumption. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

United States vs USSR: Fossil fuel consumption

United States

21,677 terawatt-hours

in 2025

USSR

13,912 terawatt-hours

in 1984

United States rank

2nd

USSR rank

3rd

Fossil fuel consumption over time

United States
USSR

How they compare

United States currently reports 21,677 terawatt-hours against 13,912 terawatt-hours in USSR, a difference of 7,765 terawatt-hours.

That makes United States's figure about 1.6 times USSR's.

Across all 20 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.

United States ranks 2nd and USSR ranks 3rd of 220 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade	United States	USSR	Difference	Ahead
1960s	15,225 terawatt-hours	7,391 terawatt-hours	7,833 terawatt-hours	United States
1970s	18,679 terawatt-hours	10,515 terawatt-hours	8,163 terawatt-hours	United States
1980s	18,090 terawatt-hours	13,271 terawatt-hours	4,819 terawatt-hours	United States

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher fossil fuel consumption, United States or USSR?: United States, at 21,677 terawatt-hours against 13,912 terawatt-hours in USSR as of 2025.
What is the difference in fossil fuel consumption between United States and USSR?: 7,765 terawatt-hours, with United States ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for United States and USSR?: 20 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 1984.
How do United States and USSR rank globally for fossil fuel consumption?: United States ranks 2nd and USSR ranks 3rd of 220 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Fossil fuel consumption. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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United States vs USSR: Fossil fuel consumption. Statizoid, drawing on Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://energy.statizoid.com/compare/fossil-fuel-primary-energy/united-states/ussr/

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<a href="https://energy.statizoid.com/compare/fossil-fuel-primary-energy/united-states/ussr/">United States vs USSR: Fossil fuel consumption</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Fossil fuel consumption
Unit: terawatt-hours
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 222 places, 10,754 data points, 1965–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Measured in terawatt-hours. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and gas.