Primary energy use per person in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Primary energy use per person was 312.46 kilowatt-hours per person in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
312.46 kilowatt-hours per person
Change on year
down 2.8%
World rank
211th
of 218 countries
All-time high
661.59 kilowatt-hours per person
in 1980
All-time low
172.27 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2001
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Primary energy use per person in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1980–2024
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 primary energy use per person in Democratic Republic of Congo is 312.46 kilowatt-hours per person, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use per person in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 661.59 kilowatt-hours per person in 1980 and was at its lowest, 172.27 kilowatt-hours per person, in 2001.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 211th of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Primary energy use per person in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 661.59 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1981 | 661.01 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 658.42 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 647.45 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 610.59 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.7% |
| 1985 | 583.27 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.5% |
| 1986 | 600.69 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 541.2 kilowatt-hours per person | -9.9% |
| 1988 | 608.58 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.5% |
| 1989 | 579.85 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 539.13 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.0% |
| 1991 | 480.6 kilowatt-hours per person | -10.9% |
| 1992 | 503.62 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 483.3 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.0% |
| 1994 | 381.96 kilowatt-hours per person | -21.0% |
| 1995 | 384.43 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 393.99 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 372.77 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.4% |
| 1998 | 343.64 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.8% |
| 1999 | 352.61 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 187.43 kilowatt-hours per person | -46.8% |
| 2001 | 172.27 kilowatt-hours per person | -8.1% |
| 2002 | 178.12 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 188.63 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 208.24 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.4% |
| 2005 | 229.07 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.0% |
| 2006 | 246.07 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.4% |
| 2007 | 245.08 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 223.66 kilowatt-hours per person | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 201.91 kilowatt-hours per person | -9.7% |
| 2010 | 238.14 kilowatt-hours per person | +17.9% |
| 2011 | 267.57 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.4% |
| 2012 | 263.18 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 328.48 kilowatt-hours per person | +24.8% |
| 2014 | 405 kilowatt-hours per person | +23.3% |
| 2015 | 280.17 kilowatt-hours per person | -30.8% |
| 2016 | 231.32 kilowatt-hours per person | -17.4% |
| 2017 | 238.28 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 279.37 kilowatt-hours per person | +17.2% |
| 2019 | 253.66 kilowatt-hours per person | -9.2% |
| 2020 | 285.18 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.4% |
| 2021 | 310.06 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 313.67 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 321.36 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 312.46 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.8% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 312.46 kilowatt-hours per person is below the median for low income countries, which is 685.71 kilowatt-hours per person, 46% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 312.46 kilowatt-hours per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,598 kilowatt-hours per person, 20% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 615.26 kilowatt-hours per person | 541.2 kilowatt-hours per person | 661.59 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 423.61 kilowatt-hours per person | 343.64 kilowatt-hours per person | 539.13 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 208.05 kilowatt-hours per person | 172.27 kilowatt-hours per person | 246.07 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 278.52 kilowatt-hours per person | 231.32 kilowatt-hours per person | 405 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 308.55 kilowatt-hours per person | 285.18 kilowatt-hours per person | 321.36 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 208 Chad 382.54 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 209 Somalia 357.35 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 210 Central African Republic 356.65 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 212 Burundi 278.34 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 213 French Guiana 0 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 213 Guadeloupe 0 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 213 Martinique 0 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 213 Northern Mariana Islands 0 kilowatt-hours per person
- 213 Reunion 0 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 213 Tuvalu 0 kilowatt-hours per person
More energy & mining data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 0.4362 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 36.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary energy use per person in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Primary energy use per person in Democratic Republic of Congo was 312.46 kilowatt-hours per person in 2024, 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 primary energy use per person recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 661.59 kilowatt-hours per person in 1980.
- What is the lowest primary energy use per person recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 172.27 kilowatt-hours per person in 2001.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for primary energy use per person?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 211th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary energy use per person rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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 Primary energy use per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per person.