Energy use in China
China: Energy use was 2,851 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2,851 kg of oil equivalent per capita
Change on year
up 6.5%
World rank
36th
of 175 countries
All-time high
2,851 kg of oil equivalent per capita
in 2023
All-time low
740.59 kg of oil equivalent per capita
in 1991
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Energy use in China, 1990–2023
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA). Measured in kg of oil equivalent per capita.
Analysis
The most recent figure for energy use in China is 2,851 kg of oil equivalent per capita, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 6.5% on the previous year and up 33.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy use in China peaked at 2,851 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 2023 and was at its lowest, 740.59 kg of oil equivalent per capita, in 1991.
China ranks 36th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Energy use in China, year by year
| Year | kg of oil equivalent per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 773.25 kg of oil equivalent per capita | — |
| 1991 | 740.59 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 756.63 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 792.63 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +4.8% |
| 1994 | 821.27 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 872.83 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +6.3% |
| 1996 | 884.89 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 876.49 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 872.41 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 880.74 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 898.08 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 921.51 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 976.16 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 1,105 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +13.2% |
| 2004 | 1,249 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +13.0% |
| 2005 | 1,370 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +9.7% |
| 2006 | 1,490 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 1,595 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +7.1% |
| 2008 | 1,630 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 1,729 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 1,900 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +9.9% |
| 2011 | 2,027 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 2,085 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 2,137 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 2,178 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 2,175 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 2,149 kg of oil equivalent per capita | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 2,216 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 2,311 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 2,398 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 2,466 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 2,624 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 2,676 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 2,851 kg of oil equivalent per capita | +6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 827.17 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 740.59 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 884.89 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,296 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 898.08 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 1,729 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,158 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 1,900 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 2,398 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,654 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 2,466 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 2,851 kg of oil equivalent per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 33 Malaysia 3,009 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 34 Japan 3,006 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 35 Belarus 2,856 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 37 Germany 2,825 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 38 Estonia 2,709 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
- 39 Libya 2,662 kg of oil equivalent per capita compare
More energy & mining data for China
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 2.15 % 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 (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 20.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy use in China?
- Energy use in China was 2,851 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 2023, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA).
- What is the highest energy use recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2,851 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 2023.
- What is the lowest energy use recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 740.59 kg of oil equivalent per capita in 1991.
- How does China rank for energy use?
- China ranks 36th out of 175 countries with data for 2023.
- Is energy use rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA), published as part of Energy use (kg of oil equivalent per capita). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Energy use refers to use of primary energy before transformation to other end-use fuels, which is equal to indigenous production plus imports and stock changes, minus exports and fuels supplied to ships and aircraft engaged in international transport.