United States vs USSR: Share of primary energy use by source
United States
35.0%
in 2025
USSR
34.7%
in 1984
United States rank
23rd
USSR rank
25th
Share of primary energy use by source over time
- United States
- USSR
How they compare
United States currently reports 35.0% against 34.7% in USSR, a difference of 0.3%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 20 shared years of data; in 1965 it was United States ahead.
United States ranks 23rd and USSR ranks 25th of 77 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, United States averaged higher in 2 and USSR in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | United States | USSR | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 30.7% | 19.7% | 11.0% | United States |
| 1970s | 28.8% | 25.0% | 3.8% | United States |
| 1980s | 25.5% | 31.5% | 6.0% | USSR |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of primary energy use by source, United States or USSR?
- United States, at 35.0% against 34.7% in USSR as of 2025.
- What is the difference in share of primary energy use by source between United States and USSR?
- 0.3%, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for United States and USSR?
- 20 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 1984.
- How do United States and USSR rank globally for share of primary energy use by source?
- United States ranks 23rd and USSR ranks 25th of 77 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) β with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of 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 as a percentage of total energy supply.