Brazil vs China: Hydropower generation by region
Brazil
397.9 terawatt-hours
in 2025
China
1,392 terawatt-hours
in 2025
Brazil rank
2nd
China rank
1st
Hydropower generation by region over time
- Brazil
- China
How they compare
China currently reports 1,392 terawatt-hours against 397.9 terawatt-hours in Brazil, a difference of 994.1 terawatt-hours.
That makes China's figure about 3.5 times Brazil's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 61 shared years of data; in 1965 it was Brazil ahead.
Brazil ranks 2nd and China ranks 1st of 79 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Brazil averaged higher in 4 and China in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Brazil | China | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 29.17 terawatt-hours | 22.02 terawatt-hours | 7.15 terawatt-hours | Brazil |
| 1970s | 72.53 terawatt-hours | 39.03 terawatt-hours | 33.5 terawatt-hours | Brazil |
| 1980s | 166.9 terawatt-hours | 88.59 terawatt-hours | 78.31 terawatt-hours | Brazil |
| 1990s | 250.87 terawatt-hours | 167.14 terawatt-hours | 83.73 terawatt-hours | Brazil |
| 2000s | 330.56 terawatt-hours | 399.57 terawatt-hours | 69.01 terawatt-hours | China |
| 2010s | 390.98 terawatt-hours | 1,014 terawatt-hours | 622.6 terawatt-hours | China |
| 2020s | 405.33 terawatt-hours | 1,319 terawatt-hours | 913.72 terawatt-hours | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher hydropower generation by region, Brazil or China?
- China, at 1,392 terawatt-hours against 397.9 terawatt-hours in Brazil as of 2025.
- What is the difference in hydropower generation by region between Brazil and China?
- 994.1 terawatt-hours, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Brazil and China?
- 61 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 2025.
- How do Brazil and China rank globally for hydropower generation by region?
- Brazil ranks 2nd and China ranks 1st of 79 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Hydropower generation by region. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Figures are based on gross primary hydroelectric generation and do not account for cross-border electricity supply.