Primary energy use in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Primary energy use was 39.45 terawatt-hours in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
39.45 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
120th
of 219 countries
All-time high
47.57 terawatt-hours
in 2021
All-time low
3.33 terawatt-hours
in 2002
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Primary energy use in Afghanistan, 1980–2024
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 terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary energy use in Afghanistan is 39.45 terawatt-hours, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and up 48.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use in Afghanistan peaked at 47.57 terawatt-hours in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.33 terawatt-hours, in 2002.
That places Afghanistan 120th out of 219 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy use in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 6.34 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1981 | 7.29 terawatt-hours | +15.0% |
| 1982 | 7.89 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 1983 | 9.88 terawatt-hours | +25.3% |
| 1984 | 9.93 terawatt-hours | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 9.63 terawatt-hours | -3.0% |
| 1986 | 9.99 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 1987 | 16.93 terawatt-hours | +69.4% |
| 1988 | 31.09 terawatt-hours | +83.6% |
| 1989 | 30.51 terawatt-hours | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 30.2 terawatt-hours | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 12.5 terawatt-hours | -58.6% |
| 1992 | 8.21 terawatt-hours | -34.3% |
| 1993 | 8.16 terawatt-hours | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 7.87 terawatt-hours | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 6.6 terawatt-hours | -16.2% |
| 1996 | 6.55 terawatt-hours | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 6.3 terawatt-hours | -3.9% |
| 1998 | 6.16 terawatt-hours | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 6.15 terawatt-hours | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 5.29 terawatt-hours | -14.0% |
| 2001 | 3.65 terawatt-hours | -31.0% |
| 2002 | 3.33 terawatt-hours | -8.8% |
| 2003 | 3.97 terawatt-hours | +19.2% |
| 2004 | 3.72 terawatt-hours | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 5.01 terawatt-hours | +34.9% |
| 2006 | 6.53 terawatt-hours | +30.2% |
| 2007 | 7.76 terawatt-hours | +18.8% |
| 2008 | 15.04 terawatt-hours | +93.9% |
| 2009 | 25.26 terawatt-hours | +67.9% |
| 2010 | 32.24 terawatt-hours | +27.7% |
| 2011 | 41.39 terawatt-hours | +28.4% |
| 2012 | 39.02 terawatt-hours | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 31.87 terawatt-hours | -18.3% |
| 2014 | 26.63 terawatt-hours | -16.4% |
| 2015 | 30.95 terawatt-hours | +16.2% |
| 2016 | 28.08 terawatt-hours | -9.3% |
| 2017 | 36.52 terawatt-hours | +30.1% |
| 2018 | 46.49 terawatt-hours | +27.3% |
| 2019 | 47.11 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 46.91 terawatt-hours | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 47.57 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 45.11 terawatt-hours | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 40.28 terawatt-hours | -10.7% |
| 2024 | 39.45 terawatt-hours | -2.1% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 39.45 terawatt-hours is above the median for low income countries, which is 13.82 terawatt-hours, 2.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 39.45 terawatt-hours is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 275.63 terawatt-hours, 14% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 13.95 terawatt-hours | 6.34 terawatt-hours | 31.09 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.87 terawatt-hours | 6.15 terawatt-hours | 30.2 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.96 terawatt-hours | 3.33 terawatt-hours | 25.26 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.03 terawatt-hours | 26.63 terawatt-hours | 47.11 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.86 terawatt-hours | 39.45 terawatt-hours | 47.57 terawatt-hours | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More energy & mining data for Afghanistan
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2020)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -2.06 % 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 (2020)
- Fuel imports 22.7% (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary energy use in Afghanistan?
- Primary energy use in Afghanistan was 39.45 terawatt-hours in 2024, 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 primary energy use recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 47.57 terawatt-hours in 2021.
- What is the lowest primary energy use recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.33 terawatt-hours in 2002.
- How does Afghanistan rank for primary energy use?
- Afghanistan ranks 120th out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary energy use rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 Primary energy use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.