Share of primary energy from oil in South Africa
South Africa: Share of primary energy from oil was 19.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
19.5%
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
76th
of 80 countries
All-time high
27.0%
in 1973
All-time low
17.6%
in 1986
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Share of primary energy from oil in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 19.5%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and down 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of primary energy from oil in South Africa peaked at 27.0% in 1973 and was at its lowest, 17.6%, in 1986.
South Africa ranks 76th of 80 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 61 years of available data.
Share of primary energy from oil in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 19.0% | — |
| 1966 | 20.5% | +8.0% |
| 1967 | 21.5% | +4.7% |
| 1968 | 22.1% | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 23.6% | +6.8% |
| 1970 | 24.5% | +3.7% |
| 1971 | 24.9% | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 26.3% | +5.8% |
| 1973 | 27.0% | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 25.6% | -5.2% |
| 1975 | 25.5% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 24.8% | -2.9% |
| 1977 | 23.9% | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 25.4% | +6.1% |
| 1979 | 23.2% | -8.5% |
| 1980 | 22.4% | -3.7% |
| 1981 | 20.9% | -6.8% |
| 1982 | 19.6% | -5.9% |
| 1983 | 19.5% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 19.4% | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 18.6% | -4.4% |
| 1986 | 17.6% | -5.1% |
| 1987 | 18.4% | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 18.4% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 20.0% | +8.4% |
| 1990 | 19.4% | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 19.8% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 20.3% | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 21.1% | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 21.2% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 21.6% | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 21.8% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 21.7% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 22.4% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 21.9% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 22.3% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 22.7% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 23.9% | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 23.8% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 23.3% | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 22.5% | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 21.8% | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 21.6% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 20.0% | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 20.8% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 21.1% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 22.0% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 21.7% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 22.1% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 22.4% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 24.4% | +8.9% |
| 2016 | 23.2% | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 24.3% | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 23.1% | -5.0% |
| 2019 | 21.8% | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | -5.5% |
| 2021 | 21.3% | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 22.1% | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 21.4% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 18.9% | -11.5% |
| 2025 | 19.5% | +2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21.4% | 19.0% | 23.6% | 5 |
| 1970s | 25.1% | 23.2% | 27.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.5% | 17.6% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.1% | 19.4% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.3% | 20.0% | 23.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.6% | 21.1% | 24.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.6% | 18.9% | 22.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 73 Ukraine 23.3% compare
- 74 Russia 23.0% compare
- 75 China (People’s Republic of) 20.9% compare
- 77 Turkmenistan 19.0% compare
- 78 Iceland 14.2% compare
- 79 Trinidad and Tobago 12.9% compare
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)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of primary energy from oil in South Africa?
- Share of primary energy from oil in South Africa was 19.5% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 27.0% in 1973.
- What is the lowest share of primary energy from oil recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.6% in 1986.
- How does South Africa rank for share of primary energy from oil?
- South Africa ranks 76th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of primary energy from oil rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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.