China vs Germany: Fossil fuel consumption per person
China
27,853 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2025
Germany
28,151 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2025
China rank
50th
Germany rank
49th
Fossil fuel consumption per person over time
- China
- Germany
How they compare
Germany currently reports 28,151 kilowatt-hours per person against 27,853 kilowatt-hours per person in China, a difference of 298 kilowatt-hours per person.
Across all 61 years both countries report, Germany has been ahead every year.
China ranks 50th and Germany ranks 49th of 213 countries.
Germany has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Germany | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,032 kilowatt-hours per person | 39,597 kilowatt-hours per person | 37,565 kilowatt-hours per person | Germany |
| 1970s | 3,810 kilowatt-hours per person | 48,499 kilowatt-hours per person | 44,688 kilowatt-hours per person | Germany |
| 1980s | 5,446 kilowatt-hours per person | 48,732 kilowatt-hours per person | 43,287 kilowatt-hours per person | Germany |
| 1990s | 7,734 kilowatt-hours per person | 43,205 kilowatt-hours per person | 35,471 kilowatt-hours per person | Germany |
| 2000s | 13,819 kilowatt-hours per person | 40,576 kilowatt-hours per person | 26,757 kilowatt-hours per person | Germany |
| 2010s | 21,975 kilowatt-hours per person | 37,047 kilowatt-hours per person | 15,071 kilowatt-hours per person | Germany |
| 2020s | 26,194 kilowatt-hours per person | 29,971 kilowatt-hours per person | 3,776 kilowatt-hours per person | Germany |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher fossil fuel consumption per person, China or Germany?
- Germany, at 28,151 kilowatt-hours per person against 27,853 kilowatt-hours per person in China as of 2025.
- What is the difference in fossil fuel consumption per person between China and Germany?
- 298 kilowatt-hours per person, with Germany ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Germany?
- 61 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 2025.
- How do China and Germany rank globally for fossil fuel consumption per person?
- China ranks 50th and Germany ranks 49th of 213 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 per person. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours per person. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and gas.