Coal consumption per person in North Korea
North Korea: Coal consumption per person was 6,204 kilowatt-hours per person in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
6,204 kilowatt-hours per person
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
23rd
of 219 countries
All-time high
14,193 kilowatt-hours per person
in 1984
All-time low
3,817 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2016
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Coal consumption per person 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 kilowatt-hours per person.
Analysis
In 2024, coal consumption per person in North Korea stood at 6,204 kilowatt-hours per person.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 39.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, coal consumption per person in North Korea peaked at 14,193 kilowatt-hours per person in 1984 and was at its lowest, 3,817 kilowatt-hours per person, in 2016.
North Korea ranks 23rd of 219 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Coal consumption per person in North Korea, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 12,881 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1981 | 13,194 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 13,668 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 14,036 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 14,193 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 11,038 kilowatt-hours per person | -22.2% |
| 1986 | 10,757 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.5% |
| 1987 | 10,245 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.8% |
| 1988 | 12,560 kilowatt-hours per person | +22.6% |
| 1989 | 9,549 kilowatt-hours per person | -24.0% |
| 1990 | 9,279 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.8% |
| 1991 | 9,045 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 9,236 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 10,240 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.9% |
| 1994 | 9,706 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.2% |
| 1995 | 11,626 kilowatt-hours per person | +19.8% |
| 1996 | 11,452 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 11,348 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 9,896 kilowatt-hours per person | -12.8% |
| 1999 | 11,893 kilowatt-hours per person | +20.2% |
| 2000 | 11,872 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 11,392 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 10,990 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.5% |
| 2003 | 10,781 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 11,158 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 11,004 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 10,583 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 9,192 kilowatt-hours per person | -13.1% |
| 2008 | 9,962 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.4% |
| 2009 | 8,454 kilowatt-hours per person | -15.1% |
| 2010 | 7,859 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.0% |
| 2011 | 5,314 kilowatt-hours per person | -32.4% |
| 2012 | 4,989 kilowatt-hours per person | -6.1% |
| 2013 | 4,523 kilowatt-hours per person | -9.4% |
| 2014 | 4,457 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 3,896 kilowatt-hours per person | -12.6% |
| 2016 | 3,817 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 7,912 kilowatt-hours per person | +107.3% |
| 2018 | 7,058 kilowatt-hours per person | -10.8% |
| 2019 | 7,870 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.5% |
| 2020 | 7,367 kilowatt-hours per person | -6.4% |
| 2021 | 6,040 kilowatt-hours per person | -18.0% |
| 2022 | 5,877 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 5,932 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 6,204 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.6% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 6,204 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 673.05 kilowatt-hours per person, 9.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Coal consumption per person 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 | +107.3% | 3,817 kilowatt-hours per person | 7,912 kilowatt-hours per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12,212 kilowatt-hours per person | 9,549 kilowatt-hours per person | 14,193 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 10,372 kilowatt-hours per person | 9,045 kilowatt-hours per person | 11,893 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 10,539 kilowatt-hours per person | 8,454 kilowatt-hours per person | 11,872 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 5,770 kilowatt-hours per person | 3,817 kilowatt-hours per person | 7,912 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 6,284 kilowatt-hours per person | 5,877 kilowatt-hours per person | 7,367 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 20 United States 6,983 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 21 Russia 6,863 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 22 Montenegro 6,213 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 24 Bulgaria 5,847 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 25 Turkey 5,662 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 26 Indonesia 5,011 kilowatt-hours per person compare
More energy & mining data for North Korea
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is coal consumption per person in North Korea?
- Coal consumption per person in North Korea was 6,204 kilowatt-hours per person 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 per person recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 14,193 kilowatt-hours per person in 1984.
- What is the lowest coal consumption per person recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,817 kilowatt-hours per person in 2016.
- How does North Korea rank for coal consumption per person?
- North Korea ranks 23rd out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
- Is coal consumption per person rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.2%. 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 per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.