Changes in energy use vs. changes in GDP in China
China: Changes in energy use vs. changes in GDP was 40,469 terawatt-hours in 2020. ▲ Rising
Changes in energy use vs. changes in GDP in China, 1995–2020
Source: Kulionis (2021) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2020, changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp in China stood at 40,469 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 10.7% on the previous year and up 57.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp in China peaked at 40,469 terawatt-hours in 2020 and was at its lowest, 11,196 terawatt-hours, in 1998.
China ranks 1st of 43 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11,375 terawatt-hours | 11,196 terawatt-hours | 11,723 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 2000s | 16,569 terawatt-hours | 12,098 terawatt-hours | 23,316 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 30,869 terawatt-hours | 25,770 terawatt-hours | 36,557 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 40,469 terawatt-hours | 40,469 terawatt-hours | 40,469 terawatt-hours | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
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 changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp in China?
- Changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp in China was 40,469 terawatt-hours in 2020, according to Kulionis (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 40,469 terawatt-hours in 2020.
- What is the lowest changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,196 terawatt-hours in 1998.
- How does China rank for changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp?
- China ranks 1st out of 43 countries with data for 2020.
- Is changes in energy use vs. changes in gdp rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Kulionis (2021) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Changes in energy use vs. changes in GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Consumption-based (trade-adjusted) primary energy use measures domestic energy use minus energy used to produce exported goods, plus energy used to produce imported goods. Gross domestic product (GDP) is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.