Fossil fuels in China
China: Fossil fuels was 26,296 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
26,296
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
1st
of 220 countries
All-time high
26,296
in 2025
All-time low
0
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Fossil fuels in China, 1900–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, fossil fuels in China stood at 26,296. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 23.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuels in China peaked at 26,296 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
That places China 1st out of 220 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fossil fuels in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0 | — |
| 1901 | 0 | — |
| 1902 | 0.2906 | — |
| 1903 | 6.02 | +1972.0% |
| 1904 | 6.41 | +6.5% |
| 1905 | 7.05 | +10.0% |
| 1906 | 52.51 | +644.7% |
| 1907 | 51.67 | -1.6% |
| 1908 | 69.75 | +35.0% |
| 1909 | 63.94 | -8.3% |
| 1910 | 57.53 | -10.0% |
| 1911 | 85.45 | +48.5% |
| 1912 | 30.03 | -64.9% |
| 1913 | 33 | +9.9% |
| 1914 | 46.35 | +40.4% |
| 1915 | 49.37 | +6.5% |
| 1916 | 55.12 | +11.7% |
| 1917 | 60.91 | +10.5% |
| 1918 | 64.57 | +6.0% |
| 1919 | 74.43 | +15.3% |
| 1920 | 82.14 | +10.4% |
| 1921 | 77.6 | -5.5% |
| 1922 | 81.73 | +5.3% |
| 1923 | 98.66 | +20.7% |
| 1924 | 107.68 | +9.1% |
| 1925 | 101.94 | -5.3% |
| 1926 | 90.78 | -11.0% |
| 1927 | 102.85 | +13.3% |
| 1928 | 104.51 | +1.6% |
| 1929 | 109.59 | +4.9% |
| 1930 | 115.63 | +5.5% |
| 1931 | 122.61 | +6.0% |
| 1932 | 117.49 | -4.2% |
| 1933 | 128.31 | +9.2% |
| 1934 | 149.97 | +16.9% |
| 1935 | 174.92 | +16.6% |
| 1936 | 196.43 | +12.3% |
| 1937 | 182.44 | -7.1% |
| 1938 | 167.11 | -8.4% |
| 1939 | 201.63 | +20.7% |
| 1940 | 257.7 | +27.8% |
| 1941 | 322.16 | +25.0% |
| 1942 | 339.31 | +5.3% |
| 1943 | 293.3 | -13.6% |
| 1944 | 296.6 | +1.1% |
| 1945 | 152.79 | -48.5% |
| 1946 | 94.99 | -37.8% |
| 1947 | 101.94 | +7.3% |
| 1948 | 72.19 | -29.2% |
| 1949 | 180.19 | +149.6% |
| 1950 | 249.48 | +38.5% |
| 1951 | 308.6 | +23.7% |
| 1952 | 386.49 | +25.2% |
| 1953 | 405.03 | +4.8% |
| 1954 | 486.29 | +20.1% |
| 1955 | 571.39 | +17.5% |
| 1956 | 641.49 | +12.3% |
| 1957 | 759.89 | +18.5% |
| 1958 | 1,569 | +106.5% |
| 1959 | 2,022 | +28.8% |
| 1960 | 2,441 | +20.8% |
| 1961 | 1,453 | -40.5% |
| 1962 | 1,453 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1,453 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1,686 | +16.0% |
| 1965 | 1,738 | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 1,901 | +9.4% |
| 1967 | 1,319 | -30.6% |
| 1968 | 1,744 | +32.2% |
| 1969 | 1,889 | +8.3% |
| 1970 | 2,093 | +10.8% |
| 1971 | 2,267 | +8.3% |
| 1972 | 2,325 | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 2,499 | +7.5% |
| 1974 | 2,616 | +4.7% |
| 1975 | 2,732 | +4.4% |
| 1976 | 2,790 | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 3,063 | +9.8% |
| 1978 | 3,447 | +12.5% |
| 1979 | 3,546 | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 4,048 | +14.2% |
| 1981 | 3,615 | -10.7% |
| 1982 | 3,875 | +7.2% |
| 1983 | 4,155 | +7.2% |
| 1984 | 4,589 | +10.5% |
| 1985 | 5,072 | +10.5% |
| 1986 | 5,199 | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 5,397 | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 5,698 | +5.6% |
| 1989 | 6,130 | +7.6% |
| 1990 | 6,280 | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 6,323 | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 6,492 | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 6,691 | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 7,210 | +7.8% |
| 1995 | 7,913 | +9.7% |
| 1996 | 8,122 | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 8,068 | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 7,746 | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 7,932 | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 8,226 | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 8,715 | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 9,307 | +6.8% |
| 2003 | 10,994 | +18.1% |
| 2004 | 12,874 | +17.1% |
| 2005 | 14,441 | +12.2% |
| 2006 | 15,450 | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 16,739 | +8.3% |
| 2008 | 17,349 | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 17,885 | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 19,367 | +8.3% |
| 2011 | 21,535 | +11.2% |
| 2012 | 21,789 | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 22,034 | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 21,681 | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 21,274 | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 19,671 | -7.5% |
| 2017 | 20,326 | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 21,353 | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 21,771 | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 21,988 | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 22,826 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 25,016 | +9.6% |
| 2023 | 25,609 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 25,916 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 26,296 | +1.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fossil fuels in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1903 | +1972.0% | 0.2906 | 6.02 |
| 1906 | +644.7% | 7.05 | 52.51 |
| 1949 | +149.6% | 72.19 | 180.19 |
| 1958 | +106.5% | 759.89 | 1,569 |
| 1912 | -64.9% | 85.45 | 30.03 |
| 1945 | -48.5% | 296.6 | 152.79 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 25.76 | 0 | 69.75 | 10 |
| 1910s | 55.68 | 30.03 | 85.45 | 10 |
| 1920s | 95.75 | 77.6 | 109.59 | 10 |
| 1930s | 155.65 | 115.63 | 201.63 | 10 |
| 1940s | 211.12 | 72.19 | 339.31 | 10 |
| 1950s | 739.97 | 249.48 | 2,022 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1,708 | 1,319 | 2,441 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2,738 | 2,093 | 3,546 | 10 |
| 1980s | 4,778 | 3,615 | 6,130 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7,278 | 6,280 | 8,122 | 10 |
| 2000s | 13,198 | 8,226 | 17,885 | 10 |
| 2010s | 21,080 | 19,367 | 22,034 | 10 |
| 2020s | 24,608 | 21,988 | 26,296 | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More energy & mining data for China
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fuel imports 18.1% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 16.1% (2025)
- Fuel exports 1.4% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 1.6% (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fossil fuels in China?
- Fossil fuels in China was 26,296 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fossil fuels recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 26,296 in 2025.
- What is the lowest fossil fuels recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does China rank for fossil fuels?
- China ranks 1st out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuels rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Fossil fuels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).