Share of primary energy from oil in China
China: Share of primary energy from oil was 20.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
20.9%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
75th
of 80 countries
All-time high
24.3%
in 1976
All-time low
8.6%
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Share of primary energy from oil in China, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of primary energy from oil in China is 20.9%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of primary energy from oil in China peaked at 24.3% in 1976 and was at its lowest, 8.6%, in 1965.
That places China 75th out of 80 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Share of primary energy from oil in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 8.6% | — |
| 1966 | 10.2% | +18.0% |
| 1967 | 11.2% | +9.7% |
| 1968 | 12.2% | +8.7% |
| 1969 | 13.3% | +9.7% |
| 1970 | 14.3% | +7.5% |
| 1971 | 16.5% | +14.8% |
| 1972 | 17.6% | +6.9% |
| 1973 | 20.4% | +15.7% |
| 1974 | 22.7% | +11.8% |
| 1975 | 22.4% | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 24.3% | +8.5% |
| 1977 | 23.5% | -3.2% |
| 1978 | 23.7% | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 23.1% | -2.5% |
| 1980 | 20.6% | -10.6% |
| 1981 | 19.9% | -3.7% |
| 1982 | 18.9% | -5.1% |
| 1983 | 18.1% | -3.9% |
| 1984 | 17.5% | -3.5% |
| 1985 | 16.9% | -3.2% |
| 1986 | 17.2% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 16.9% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 16.9% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 16.9% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 16.6% | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 17.0% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 17.6% | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 18.2% | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 17.4% | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 18.3% | +5.2% |
| 1996 | 19.2% | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 21.0% | +9.2% |
| 1998 | 21.6% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 22.1% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 23.1% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 22.5% | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 22.2% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 21.2% | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 21.2% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 18.9% | -10.6% |
| 2006 | 18.5% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 17.8% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 17.7% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 17.6% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 18.8% | +6.9% |
| 2011 | 18.0% | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 18.3% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 18.4% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 18.8% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 20.1% | +6.7% |
| 2016 | 20.8% | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 21.1% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 21.2% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 21.2% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 20.9% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 20.5% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 20.5% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 21.3% | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 20.8% | -2.3% |
| 2025 | 20.9% | +0.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 20.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36.6%, 57% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- China's 20.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 39.2%, 53% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.1% | 8.6% | 13.3% | 5 |
| 1970s | 20.8% | 14.3% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.0% | 16.9% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.9% | 16.6% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.1% | 17.6% | 23.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.7% | 18.0% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.8% | 20.5% | 21.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 72 Kazakhstan 23.9% compare
- 73 Ukraine 23.3% compare
- 74 Russia 23.0% compare
- 76 South Africa 19.5% compare
- 77 Turkmenistan 19.0% compare
- 78 Iceland 14.2% 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 share of primary energy from oil in China?
- Share of primary energy from oil in China was 20.9% in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of primary energy from oil recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 24.3% in 1976.
- What is the lowest share of primary energy from oil recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.6% in 1965.
- How does China rank for share of primary energy from oil?
- China ranks 75th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of primary energy from oil rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of primary energy from oil. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured as a percentage of total energy supply.