Primary energy use in Mauritania
Mauritania: Primary energy use was 19.68 terawatt-hours in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Primary energy use in Mauritania, 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
Mauritania recorded 19.68 terawatt-hours for primary energy use in 2024.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 77.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use in Mauritania peaked at 20.28 terawatt-hours in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2.13 terawatt-hours, in 1986.
That places Mauritania 144th 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 Mauritania, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.6 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1981 | 2.48 terawatt-hours | -4.6% |
| 1982 | 2.49 terawatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 2.5 terawatt-hours | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 3.72 terawatt-hours | +48.7% |
| 1985 | 3.7 terawatt-hours | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 2.13 terawatt-hours | -42.5% |
| 1987 | 2.94 terawatt-hours | +37.9% |
| 1988 | 3.8 terawatt-hours | +29.4% |
| 1989 | 4.38 terawatt-hours | +15.3% |
| 1990 | 3.93 terawatt-hours | -10.3% |
| 1991 | 4.11 terawatt-hours | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 13.45 terawatt-hours | +226.9% |
| 1993 | 13.76 terawatt-hours | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 13.72 terawatt-hours | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 13.92 terawatt-hours | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 14.09 terawatt-hours | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 14.1 terawatt-hours | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 14.16 terawatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 14.16 terawatt-hours | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 4.98 terawatt-hours | -64.8% |
| 2001 | 5.2 terawatt-hours | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 5.59 terawatt-hours | +7.5% |
| 2003 | 5.84 terawatt-hours | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 6.28 terawatt-hours | +7.6% |
| 2005 | 6.55 terawatt-hours | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 6.38 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 7.21 terawatt-hours | +13.0% |
| 2008 | 8.88 terawatt-hours | +23.2% |
| 2009 | 8.73 terawatt-hours | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 8.66 terawatt-hours | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 9.31 terawatt-hours | +7.6% |
| 2012 | 10.32 terawatt-hours | +10.9% |
| 2013 | 9.24 terawatt-hours | -10.5% |
| 2014 | 11.11 terawatt-hours | +20.3% |
| 2015 | 11.11 terawatt-hours | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 10.39 terawatt-hours | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 15.74 terawatt-hours | +51.5% |
| 2018 | 17.34 terawatt-hours | +10.1% |
| 2019 | 18.03 terawatt-hours | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 18.52 terawatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 17.58 terawatt-hours | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 20.28 terawatt-hours | +15.4% |
| 2023 | 19.14 terawatt-hours | -5.6% |
| 2024 | 19.68 terawatt-hours | +2.8% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 19.68 terawatt-hours is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 52.67 terawatt-hours, 37% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 19.68 terawatt-hours is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.78 terawatt-hours, 95% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary energy use in Mauritania changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +226.9% | 4.11 terawatt-hours | 13.45 terawatt-hours |
| 2000 | -64.8% | 14.16 terawatt-hours | 4.98 terawatt-hours |
| 2017 | +51.5% | 10.39 terawatt-hours | 15.74 terawatt-hours |
| 1984 | +48.7% | 2.5 terawatt-hours | 3.72 terawatt-hours |
| 1986 | -42.5% | 3.7 terawatt-hours | 2.13 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.07 terawatt-hours | 2.13 terawatt-hours | 4.38 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.94 terawatt-hours | 3.93 terawatt-hours | 14.16 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.56 terawatt-hours | 4.98 terawatt-hours | 8.88 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.12 terawatt-hours | 8.66 terawatt-hours | 18.03 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.04 terawatt-hours | 17.58 terawatt-hours | 20.28 terawatt-hours | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More energy & mining data for Mauritania
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 2.79 % 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 34.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary energy use in Mauritania?
- Primary energy use in Mauritania was 19.68 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 20.28 terawatt-hours in 2022.
- What is the lowest primary energy use recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.13 terawatt-hours in 1986.
- How does Mauritania rank for primary energy use?
- Mauritania ranks 144th out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary energy use rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 77.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mauritania 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.
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About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.