Coal consumption in North Korea
North Korea: Coal consumption was 164.4 terawatt-hours in 2024. ▼ Falling
Coal consumption in North Korea, 1980–2024
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for coal consumption in North Korea is 164.4 terawatt-hours, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 4.9% on the previous year and up 44.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, coal consumption in North Korea peaked at 280.96 terawatt-hours in 2000 and was at its lowest, 98.09 terawatt-hours, in 2016.
That places North Korea 20th out of 220 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Coal consumption in North Korea, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 234.91 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1981 | 244.1 terawatt-hours | +3.9% |
| 1982 | 256.64 terawatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 1983 | 267.45 terawatt-hours | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 274.43 terawatt-hours | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 216.56 terawatt-hours | -21.1% |
| 1986 | 214.18 terawatt-hours | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 207 terawatt-hours | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 257.51 terawatt-hours | +24.4% |
| 1989 | 198.65 terawatt-hours | -22.9% |
| 1990 | 195.89 terawatt-hours | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 193.82 terawatt-hours | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 200.89 terawatt-hours | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 226.04 terawatt-hours | +12.5% |
| 1994 | 217.35 terawatt-hours | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 263.56 terawatt-hours | +21.3% |
| 1996 | 262.2 terawatt-hours | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 262.26 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 230.69 terawatt-hours | -12.0% |
| 1999 | 279.45 terawatt-hours | +21.1% |
| 2000 | 280.96 terawatt-hours | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 271.32 terawatt-hours | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 263.15 terawatt-hours | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 259.72 terawatt-hours | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 270.64 terawatt-hours | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 268.45 terawatt-hours | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 259.55 terawatt-hours | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 226.56 terawatt-hours | -12.7% |
| 2008 | 246.7 terawatt-hours | +8.9% |
| 2009 | 210.32 terawatt-hours | -14.7% |
| 2010 | 196.37 terawatt-hours | -6.6% |
| 2011 | 133.37 terawatt-hours | -32.1% |
| 2012 | 125.79 terawatt-hours | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 114.55 terawatt-hours | -8.9% |
| 2014 | 113.44 terawatt-hours | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 99.65 terawatt-hours | -12.2% |
| 2016 | 98.09 terawatt-hours | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 204.27 terawatt-hours | +108.3% |
| 2018 | 183.03 terawatt-hours | -10.4% |
| 2019 | 204.92 terawatt-hours | +12.0% |
| 2020 | 192.56 terawatt-hours | -6.0% |
| 2021 | 158.43 terawatt-hours | -17.7% |
| 2022 | 154.72 terawatt-hours | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 156.71 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 164.4 terawatt-hours | +4.9% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 164.4 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.95 terawatt-hours, 41.6× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Coal consumption in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +108.3% | 98.09 terawatt-hours | 204.27 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 237.14 terawatt-hours | 198.65 terawatt-hours | 274.43 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 233.21 terawatt-hours | 193.82 terawatt-hours | 279.45 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 255.74 terawatt-hours | 210.32 terawatt-hours | 280.96 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 147.35 terawatt-hours | 98.09 terawatt-hours | 204.92 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 165.36 terawatt-hours | 154.72 terawatt-hours | 192.56 terawatt-hours | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More energy & mining data for North Korea
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per capita 0 units per person (2024)
- Gas production 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is coal consumption in North Korea?
- Coal consumption in North Korea was 164.4 terawatt-hours in 2024, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest coal consumption recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 280.96 terawatt-hours in 2000.
- What is the lowest coal consumption recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 98.09 terawatt-hours in 2016.
- How does North Korea rank for coal consumption?
- North Korea ranks 20th out of 220 countries with data for 2024.
- Is coal consumption rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.