Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in China
China: Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel was 3,121 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3,121 kilowatt-hours per person
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
74th
of 219 countries
All-time high
3,121 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2025
All-time low
15.33 kilowatt-hours per person
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in China, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in China is 3,121 kilowatt-hours per person, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 123.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in China peaked at 3,121 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025 and was at its lowest, 15.33 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1965.
China ranks 74th of 219 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in China, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 15.33 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1966 | 18.19 kilowatt-hours per person | +18.7% |
| 1967 | 19.34 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.3% |
| 1968 | 18.07 kilowatt-hours per person | -6.6% |
| 1969 | 24.63 kilowatt-hours per person | +36.3% |
| 1970 | 35.13 kilowatt-hours per person | +42.7% |
| 1971 | 44.66 kilowatt-hours per person | +27.1% |
| 1972 | 56.48 kilowatt-hours per person | +26.5% |
| 1973 | 68.29 kilowatt-hours per person | +20.9% |
| 1974 | 84.3 kilowatt-hours per person | +23.4% |
| 1975 | 97.36 kilowatt-hours per person | +15.5% |
| 1976 | 109.41 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.4% |
| 1977 | 129.46 kilowatt-hours per person | +18.3% |
| 1978 | 144.72 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.8% |
| 1979 | 150.88 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.2% |
| 1980 | 146.28 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 128.69 kilowatt-hours per person | -12.0% |
| 1982 | 118.63 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.8% |
| 1983 | 119.58 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 120.02 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 122.96 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 128.74 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.7% |
| 1987 | 127.7 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 128.87 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 133.75 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.8% |
| 1990 | 133.66 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 133.34 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 134.34 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 141.12 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 146.38 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 146.54 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 152.21 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 159.52 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 163.22 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 171.91 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 194.52 kilowatt-hours per person | +13.2% |
| 2001 | 216.2 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.1% |
| 2002 | 228.57 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.7% |
| 2003 | 264 kilowatt-hours per person | +15.5% |
| 2004 | 307.07 kilowatt-hours per person | +16.3% |
| 2005 | 358.58 kilowatt-hours per person | +16.8% |
| 2006 | 438.4 kilowatt-hours per person | +22.3% |
| 2007 | 536.11 kilowatt-hours per person | +22.3% |
| 2008 | 614.27 kilowatt-hours per person | +14.6% |
| 2009 | 672.05 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.4% |
| 2010 | 805.54 kilowatt-hours per person | +19.9% |
| 2011 | 993.66 kilowatt-hours per person | +23.4% |
| 2012 | 1,102 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.9% |
| 2013 | 1,246 kilowatt-hours per person | +13.1% |
| 2014 | 1,357 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.9% |
| 2015 | 1,394 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 1,492 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.0% |
| 2017 | 1,708 kilowatt-hours per person | +14.5% |
| 2018 | 2,001 kilowatt-hours per person | +17.1% |
| 2019 | 2,166 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.3% |
| 2020 | 2,360 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.0% |
| 2021 | 2,666 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.9% |
| 2022 | 2,650 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 2,838 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.1% |
| 2024 | 3,053 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.5% |
| 2025 | 3,121 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 3,121 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,560 kilowatt-hours per person, 2.0× the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.11 kilowatt-hours per person | 15.33 kilowatt-hours per person | 24.63 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
| 1970s | 92.07 kilowatt-hours per person | 35.13 kilowatt-hours per person | 150.88 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 127.52 kilowatt-hours per person | 118.63 kilowatt-hours per person | 146.28 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 148.22 kilowatt-hours per person | 133.34 kilowatt-hours per person | 171.91 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 382.98 kilowatt-hours per person | 194.52 kilowatt-hours per person | 672.05 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,427 kilowatt-hours per person | 805.54 kilowatt-hours per person | 2,166 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,781 kilowatt-hours per person | 2,360 kilowatt-hours per person | 3,121 kilowatt-hours per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 71 Iraq 3,918 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 72 Jordan 3,665 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 73 Switzerland 3,426 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 75 Peru 2,960 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 76 Jamaica 2,845 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 77 Denmark 2,651 kilowatt-hours per person 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 fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in China?
- Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in China was 3,121 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3,121 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025.
- What is the lowest fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.33 kilowatt-hours per person in 1965.
- How does China rank for fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel?
- China ranks 74th out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 123.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.