South Africa vs Taiwan, China: Primary energy from fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewables
South Africa
2.3%
in 2025
Taiwan, China
0.8%
in 2025
South Africa rank
26th
Taiwan, China rank
31st
Primary energy from fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewables over time
- South Africa
- Taiwan, China
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 2.3% against 0.8% in Taiwan, China, a difference of 1.5%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 2.8 times Taiwan, China's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 61 shared years of data; in 1965 it was Taiwan, China ahead.
South Africa ranks 26th and Taiwan, China ranks 31st of 216 countries.
Taiwan, China has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Taiwan, China | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | — |
| 1970s | 0.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | Taiwan, China |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 16.4% | 15.0% | Taiwan, China |
| 1990s | 2.9% | 14.5% | 11.6% | Taiwan, China |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 10.2% | 7.4% | Taiwan, China |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 8.3% | 5.4% | Taiwan, China |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 4.6% | 2.2% | Taiwan, China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher primary energy from fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewables, South Africa or Taiwan, China?
- South Africa, at 2.3% against 0.8% in Taiwan, China as of 2025.
- What is the difference in primary energy from fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewables between South Africa and Taiwan, China?
- 1.5%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Taiwan, China?
- 61 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and Taiwan, China rank globally for primary energy from fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewables?
- South Africa ranks 26th and Taiwan, China ranks 31st of 216 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Primary energy from fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewables. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Measured as a percentage of total energy supply.