China vs USSR: Primary energy use by source
China
1,128 terawatt-hours
in 2025
USSR
0 terawatt-hours
in 1984
China rank
1st
USSR rank
3rd
Primary energy use by source over time
- China
- USSR
How they compare
China currently reports 1,128 terawatt-hours against 0 terawatt-hours in USSR, a difference of 1,128 terawatt-hours.
Across all 20 years both countries report, USSR has been ahead every year.
China ranks 1st and USSR ranks 3rd of 79 countries.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | USSR | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1980s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher primary energy use by source, China or USSR?
- China, at 1,128 terawatt-hours against 0 terawatt-hours in USSR as of 2025.
- What is the difference in primary energy use by source between China and USSR?
- 1,128 terawatt-hours, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and USSR?
- 20 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 1984.
- How do China and USSR rank globally for primary energy use by source?
- China ranks 1st and USSR ranks 3rd of 79 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Primary energy use by source. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.