Oil rents as a share of GDP in China
China: Oil rents as a share of GDP was 0.3% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Oil rents as a share of GDP in China, 1970–2021
Source: The Changing Wealth of Nations, World Bank staff estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for oil rents as a share of gdp in China is 0.3%, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 170.0% on the previous year and down 80.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, oil rents as a share of gdp in China peaked at 12.3% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1970.
China ranks 64th of 199 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.
Oil rents as a share of GDP in China, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.0% | — |
| 1971 | 0.0% | +35.9% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | +238.1% |
| 1973 | 0.3% | +204.6% |
| 1974 | 2.8% | +725.9% |
| 1975 | 3.1% | +12.8% |
| 1976 | 4.1% | +31.3% |
| 1977 | 4.3% | +5.3% |
| 1978 | 5.6% | +28.5% |
| 1979 | 11.6% | +108.7% |
| 1980 | 12.3% | +5.9% |
| 1981 | 9.4% | -23.4% |
| 1982 | 6.1% | -35.6% |
| 1983 | 6.5% | +8.0% |
| 1984 | 6.2% | -5.0% |
| 1985 | 5.6% | -9.9% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | -49.2% |
| 1987 | 4.8% | +67.9% |
| 1988 | 3.2% | -33.3% |
| 1989 | 4.2% | +30.4% |
| 1990 | 5.5% | +33.3% |
| 1991 | 3.0% | -45.4% |
| 1992 | 3.0% | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 2.8% | -5.0% |
| 1994 | 1.9% | -31.8% |
| 1995 | 1.6% | -15.3% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | +13.5% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | -21.7% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | -56.0% |
| 1999 | 1.1% | +71.3% |
| 2000 | 2.0% | +87.5% |
| 2001 | 1.3% | -35.2% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | +27.2% |
| 2005 | 2.2% | +36.4% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 1.8% | -20.9% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | +13.1% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | -54.8% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | +36.0% |
| 2011 | 1.5% | +26.4% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | -16.9% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -16.2% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | -17.5% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | -62.3% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | -26.7% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | +27.6% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | +31.6% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -27.7% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -61.7% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | +170.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.2% | 0.0% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.1% | 2.8% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 0.6% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 0.9% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | 0.2% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near China
More energy & mining data for China
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (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)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is oil rents as a share of gdp in China?
- Oil rents as a share of gdp in China was 0.3% in 2021, according to The Changing Wealth of Nations, World Bank staff estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest oil rents as a share of gdp recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 12.3% in 1980.
- What is the lowest oil rents as a share of gdp recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1970.
- How does China rank for oil rents as a share of gdp?
- China ranks 64th out of 199 countries with data for 2021.
- Is oil rents as a share of gdp rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 80.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from The Changing Wealth of Nations, World Bank staff estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Oil rents as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Economic profits generated from oil extraction, measured as the difference between production value and costs, expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product.