South Africa vs United Kingdom: Share of electricity generation from hydropower
South Africa
0.8%
in 2025
United Kingdom
1.9%
in 2025
South Africa rank
139th
United Kingdom rank
136th
Share of electricity generation from hydropower over time
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 1.9% against 0.8% in South Africa, a difference of 1.1%.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 2.5 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 41 shared years of data; in 1985 it was United Kingdom ahead.
South Africa ranks 139th and United Kingdom ranks 136th of 213 countries.
United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.3% | 1.5% | 0.2% | United Kingdom |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 1.4% | 0.8% | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 1.2% | 0.5% | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 1.6% | 1.1% | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 1.9% | 1.1% | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of electricity generation from hydropower, South Africa or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 1.9% against 0.8% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in share of electricity generation from hydropower between South Africa and United Kingdom?
- 1.1%, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Kingdom?
- 41 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and United Kingdom rank globally for share of electricity generation from hydropower?
- South Africa ranks 139th and United Kingdom ranks 136th of 213 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of electricity generation from hydropower. 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 electricity produced in the country or region.