Energy intensity in Iran, Islamic Republic of
Iran, Islamic Republic of: Energy intensity was 9.32 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2021. ▲ Rising
Energy intensity in Iran, Islamic Republic of, 2000–2021
Source: International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Statistics Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
The most recent figure for energy intensity in Iran, Islamic Republic of is 9.32 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in Iran, Islamic Republic of peaked at 9.54 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.87 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2003.
That places Iran, Islamic Republic of 13th out of 201 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Energy intensity in Iran, Islamic Republic of, year by year
| Year | megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.13 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 2001 | 7.55 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 7.23 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 6.87 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 7.19 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 7.73 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.5% |
| 2006 | 7.69 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 7.53 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 8.05 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.9% |
| 2009 | 7.95 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 7.52 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 7.47 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 8.1 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.4% |
| 2013 | 8.39 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 8.57 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 8.68 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 8.24 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.1% |
| 2017 | 8.73 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.9% |
| 2018 | 8.65 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 9.53 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.2% |
| 2020 | 9.54 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 9.32 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.49 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 6.87 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 8.05 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.39 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 7.47 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 9.53 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.43 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 9.32 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 9.54 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
Countries ranked near Iran, Islamic Republic of
- 10 Curacao 10.39 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 11 Turkmenistan 10.18 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 12 Uganda 9.86 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 14 Bahrain 9.23 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 15 Bhutan 9.04 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 16 Lesotho 9.02 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More energy & mining data for Iran, Islamic Republic of
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 0.5768 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 2.0% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
- Energy intensity in Iran, Islamic Republic of was 9.32 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2021, according to International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Statistics Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity recorded in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
- The highest recorded value was 9.54 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.87 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2003.
- How does Iran, Islamic Republic of rank for energy intensity?
- Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 13th out of 201 countries with data for 2021.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran, Islamic Republic of data come from?
- The figures come from International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Statistics Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Amount of energy needed to produce one unit of economic output. A lower number means that economies produce economic value in a less energy-intensive way. This data is measured in megajoules per dollar, adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.