China vs United States: Hydropower generation by region
China
1,392 terawatt-hours
in 2025
United States
244.14 terawatt-hours
in 2025
China rank
1st
United States rank
4th
Hydropower generation by region over time
- China
- United States
How they compare
China currently reports 1,392 terawatt-hours against 244.14 terawatt-hours in United States, a difference of 1,148 terawatt-hours.
That makes China's figure about 5.7 times United States's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 61 shared years of data; in 1965 it was United States ahead.
China ranks 1st and United States ranks 4th of 79 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, China averaged higher in 3 and United States in 4.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 22.02 terawatt-hours | 222.06 terawatt-hours | 200.04 terawatt-hours | United States |
| 1970s | 39.03 terawatt-hours | 278.41 terawatt-hours | 239.38 terawatt-hours | United States |
| 1980s | 88.59 terawatt-hours | 287.3 terawatt-hours | 198.71 terawatt-hours | United States |
| 1990s | 167.14 terawatt-hours | 302.31 terawatt-hours | 135.17 terawatt-hours | United States |
| 2000s | 399.57 terawatt-hours | 259.13 terawatt-hours | 140.44 terawatt-hours | China |
| 2010s | 1,014 terawatt-hours | 275.17 terawatt-hours | 738.41 terawatt-hours | China |
| 2020s | 1,319 terawatt-hours | 251.34 terawatt-hours | 1,068 terawatt-hours | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher hydropower generation by region, China or United States?
- China, at 1,392 terawatt-hours against 244.14 terawatt-hours in United States as of 2025.
- What is the difference in hydropower generation by region between China and United States?
- 1,148 terawatt-hours, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
- 61 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 2025.
- How do China and United States rank globally for hydropower generation by region?
- China ranks 1st and United States ranks 4th 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.