Per capita fossil energy consumption vs. GDP per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Per capita fossil energy consumption vs. GDP per capita was 20.57 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
20.57 kilowatt-hours per person
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
39th
of 76 countries
All-time high
27.88 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2008
All-time low
18.1 kilowatt-hours per person
in 1966
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Per capita fossil energy consumption vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for per capita fossil energy consumption vs. gdp per capita in South Africa is 20.57 kilowatt-hours per person, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and down 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita fossil energy consumption vs. gdp per capita in South Africa peaked at 27.88 kilowatt-hours per person in 2008 and was at its lowest, 18.1 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1966.
That places South Africa 39th out of 76 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Per capita fossil energy consumption vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 18.55 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1966 | 18.1 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 18.27 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 18.69 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 18.66 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 18.91 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 19.78 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.6% |
| 1972 | 19.76 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 20.65 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.5% |
| 1974 | 20.64 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 21.41 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 21.67 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 21.61 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 20.82 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.6% |
| 1979 | 21.01 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 21.78 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 24.46 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.3% |
| 1982 | 25.48 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 24.98 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 26.04 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 25.62 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 24.93 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 24.76 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 26.07 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.3% |
| 1989 | 24.13 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.5% |
| 1990 | 24.61 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 23.76 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.5% |
| 1992 | 23.52 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 23.19 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 23.6 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 24.33 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 24.43 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 24.59 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 23.82 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 24.49 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 24.25 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 24.28 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 23.31 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 23.96 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 25.25 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 26.04 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 27.23 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.6% |
| 2007 | 27.68 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 27.88 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 26.04 kilowatt-hours per person | -6.6% |
| 2010 | 26.6 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 25.42 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.4% |
| 2012 | 26.12 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 25.62 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 24.48 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 24.07 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 23.98 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 22.72 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 23.29 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 23.94 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 21.14 kilowatt-hours per person | -11.7% |
| 2021 | 20.91 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 19.81 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 20.45 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 21.03 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.9% |
| 2025 | 20.57 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18.45 kilowatt-hours per person | 18.1 kilowatt-hours per person | 18.69 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
| 1970s | 20.63 kilowatt-hours per person | 18.91 kilowatt-hours per person | 21.67 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 24.82 kilowatt-hours per person | 21.78 kilowatt-hours per person | 26.07 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.04 kilowatt-hours per person | 23.19 kilowatt-hours per person | 24.61 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.59 kilowatt-hours per person | 23.31 kilowatt-hours per person | 27.88 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.62 kilowatt-hours per person | 22.72 kilowatt-hours per person | 26.6 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.65 kilowatt-hours per person | 19.81 kilowatt-hours per person | 21.14 kilowatt-hours per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 36 Spain 22.43 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 37 Italy 21.97 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 38 Finland 21.92 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 40 Slovenia 20.56 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 41 Slovakia 20.37 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 42 Croatia 20.15 kilowatt-hours per person compare
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.3095 % 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 17.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita fossil energy consumption vs. gdp per capita in South Africa?
- Per capita fossil energy consumption vs. gdp per capita in South Africa was 20.57 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025, according to Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita fossil energy consumption vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 27.88 kilowatt-hours per person in 2008.
- What is the lowest per capita fossil energy consumption vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.1 kilowatt-hours per person in 1966.
- How does South Africa rank for per capita fossil energy consumption vs. gdp per capita?
- South Africa ranks 39th out of 76 countries with data for 2025.
- Is per capita fossil energy consumption vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita fossil energy consumption vs. GDP per capita. 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.