Fossil fuel consumption by type in South Africa
South Africa: Fossil fuel consumption by type was 272.42 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
272.42
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
33rd
of 79 countries
All-time high
344.8
in 2015
All-time low
67.36
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Fossil fuel consumption by type in South Africa, 1965–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, fossil fuel consumption by type in South Africa stood at 272.42.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and down 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuel consumption by type in South Africa peaked at 344.8 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 67.36, in 1965.
That places South Africa 33rd out of 79 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 80.47 | 67.36 | 95.33 | 5 |
| 1970s | 131.87 | 103.3 | 147.82 | 10 |
| 1980s | 168.96 | 144.07 | 198.18 | 10 |
| 1990s | 231.2 | 200.1 | 259.98 | 10 |
| 2000s | 289.11 | 264.3 | 310.25 | 10 |
| 2010s | 321.48 | 302.44 | 344.8 | 10 |
| 2020s | 278.68 | 265.72 | 288.4 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 56.31 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fossil fuel consumption by type in South Africa?
- Fossil fuel consumption by type in South Africa was 272.42 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fossil fuel consumption by type recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 344.8 in 2015.
- What is the lowest fossil fuel consumption by type recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.36 in 1965.
- How does South Africa rank for fossil fuel consumption by type?
- South Africa ranks 33rd out of 79 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuel consumption by type rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Fossil fuel consumption by type. 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).