Energy intensity by sector in China
China: Energy intensity by sector was 4.51 MJ/2011 USD PPP in 2012. ▼ Falling
Energy intensity by sector in China, 1990–2012
Source: World Bank and IEA (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in MJ/2011 USD PPP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for energy intensity by sector in China is 4.51 MJ/2011 USD PPP, measured in 2012. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.5% on the previous year and down 26.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity by sector in China peaked at 14.75 MJ/2011 USD PPP in 1990 and was at its lowest, 4.51 MJ/2011 USD PPP, in 2012.
China ranks 49th of 189 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.08 MJ/2011 USD PPP | 7.13 MJ/2011 USD PPP | 14.75 MJ/2011 USD PPP | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.96 MJ/2011 USD PPP | 4.92 MJ/2011 USD PPP | 6.92 MJ/2011 USD PPP | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.65 MJ/2011 USD PPP | 4.51 MJ/2011 USD PPP | 4.77 MJ/2011 USD PPP | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
- 46 Cameroon 4.62 MJ/2011 USD PPP compare
- 47 Tajikistan 4.61 MJ/2011 USD PPP compare
- 48 Belarus 4.6 MJ/2011 USD PPP compare
- 50 Bolivia 4.5 MJ/2011 USD PPP compare
- 51 Solomon Islands 4.45 MJ/2011 USD PPP compare
- 52 South Africa 4.41 MJ/2011 USD PPP compare
More energy & mining data for China
- Fuel imports 20.4% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 15.1% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 1.5% (2024)
- Gas production 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Gas production per person 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel exports 1.5% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 3.4% (2023)
- Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 59.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity by sector in China?
- Energy intensity by sector in China was 4.51 MJ/2011 USD PPP in 2012, according to World Bank and IEA (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity by sector recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 14.75 MJ/2011 USD PPP in 1990.
- What is the lowest energy intensity by sector recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.51 MJ/2011 USD PPP in 2012.
- How does China rank for energy intensity by sector?
- China ranks 49th out of 189 countries with data for 2012.
- Is energy intensity by sector rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank and IEA (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity by sector. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Energy intensity level of final energy (MJ/2011 USD PPP): A ratio between final energy consumption and gross domestic product measured at purchasing power parity. Energy intensity is an indication of how much energy is used to produce one unit of economic output. Lower ratio indicates that less energy is used to produce one unit of output.