What is coal consumption per person in South Africa?

Coal consumption per person in South Africa was 15,640 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025, 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 South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 21,358 kilowatt-hours per person in 2008.

What is the lowest coal consumption per person recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 14,246 kilowatt-hours per person in 1969.

How does South Africa rank for coal consumption per person?

South Africa ranks 5th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.

Is coal consumption per person rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this South Africa 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.

Coal consumption per person in South Africa

Name: Coal consumption per person in South Africa
Creator: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Coal consumption per person was 15,640 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

15,640 kilowatt-hours per person

Change on year

down 3.1%

World rank

5th

of 218 countries

All-time high

21,358 kilowatt-hours per person

in 2008

All-time low

14,246 kilowatt-hours per person

in 1969

Years of data

1965–2025

Coal consumption per person in South Africa, 1965–2025

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

South Africa recorded 15,640 kilowatt-hours per person for coal consumption per person in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, coal consumption per person in South Africa peaked at 21,358 kilowatt-hours per person in 2008 and was at its lowest, 14,246 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1969.

South Africa ranks 5th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	14,508 kilowatt-hours per person	14,246 kilowatt-hours per person	15,022 kilowatt-hours per person	5
1970s	15,393 kilowatt-hours per person	14,278 kilowatt-hours per person	16,365 kilowatt-hours per person	10
1980s	19,862 kilowatt-hours per person	16,828 kilowatt-hours per person	21,048 kilowatt-hours per person	10
1990s	18,480 kilowatt-hours per person	17,893 kilowatt-hours per person	19,214 kilowatt-hours per person	10
2000s	19,216 kilowatt-hours per person	17,256 kilowatt-hours per person	21,358 kilowatt-hours per person	10
2010s	18,124 kilowatt-hours per person	16,266 kilowatt-hours per person	20,033 kilowatt-hours per person	10
2020s	15,501 kilowatt-hours per person	14,557 kilowatt-hours per person	16,133 kilowatt-hours per person	6

Countries ranked near South Africa

2 Estonia 18,970 kilowatt-hours per person compare
3 Bosnia and Herzegovina 18,866 kilowatt-hours per person compare
4 China 18,093 kilowatt-hours per person compare
6 Taiwan 15,405 kilowatt-hours per person compare
7 South Korea 15,352 kilowatt-hours per person compare
8 Australia 15,029 kilowatt-hours per person compare

See the full ranking of 219 places →

More energy & mining data for South Africa

Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
Ores and metals imports 2.5% (2025)
Ores and metals exports 30.3% (2025)
Gas production 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
Gas production per person 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Fuel exports 8.2% (2025)
Electric power transmission and distribution losses 10.2% (2023)
Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 56.3% (2023)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is coal consumption per person in South Africa?: Coal consumption per person in South Africa was 15,640 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025, 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 South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 21,358 kilowatt-hours per person in 2008.
What is the lowest coal consumption per person recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 14,246 kilowatt-hours per person in 1969.
How does South Africa rank for coal consumption per person?: South Africa ranks 5th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
Is coal consumption per person rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Coal consumption per person
Unit: kilowatt-hours per person
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 219 places, 10,459 data points, 1965–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.