Share of electricity generation from hydropower in Iran
Iran: Share of electricity generation from hydropower was 3.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of electricity generation from hydropower in Iran, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iran recorded 3.3% for share of electricity generation from hydropower in 2025.
The figure is down 30.9% on the previous year and down 30.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of electricity generation from hydropower in Iran peaked at 17.6% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2009.
Iran ranks 126th of 213 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of electricity generation from hydropower in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 15.2% | — |
| 1986 | 16.7% | +10.2% |
| 1987 | 17.3% | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 17.6% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 13.1% | -25.4% |
| 1990 | 12.8% | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 8.9% | -30.3% |
| 1992 | 13.7% | +53.5% |
| 1993 | 14.1% | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 8.5% | -39.6% |
| 1995 | 9.9% | +15.9% |
| 1996 | 9.8% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 6.1% | -37.6% |
| 1998 | 7.3% | +19.4% |
| 1999 | 4.7% | -36.1% |
| 2000 | 3.2% | -32.2% |
| 2001 | 3.2% | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 5.8% | +79.5% |
| 2003 | 6.3% | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 7.3% | +15.9% |
| 2005 | 8.2% | +11.3% |
| 2006 | 9.6% | +17.3% |
| 2007 | 8.8% | -7.6% |
| 2008 | 3.5% | -60.0% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | -14.3% |
| 2010 | 4.3% | +43.6% |
| 2011 | 4.5% | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 5.0% | +10.9% |
| 2013 | 5.6% | +12.4% |
| 2014 | 5.3% | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | -10.1% |
| 2016 | 5.4% | +14.0% |
| 2017 | 5.6% | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 3.2% | -44.2% |
| 2019 | 10.6% | +237.2% |
| 2020 | 6.9% | -35.2% |
| 2021 | 3.9% | -43.6% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 6.0% | +56.6% |
| 2024 | 4.8% | -20.2% |
| 2025 | 3.3% | -30.9% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 3.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 13.2%, 25% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of electricity generation from hydropower in Iran 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +237.2% | 3.2% | 10.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16.0% | 13.1% | 17.6% | 5 |
| 1990s | 9.6% | 4.7% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 3.0% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.4% | 3.2% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.8% | 3.3% | 6.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More energy & mining data for Iran
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 0.5768 % 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 (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 (2025)
- Fuel imports 2.0% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of electricity generation from hydropower in Iran?
- Share of electricity generation from hydropower in Iran was 3.3% in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of electricity generation from hydropower recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 1988.
- What is the lowest share of electricity generation from hydropower recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2009.
- How does Iran rank for share of electricity generation from hydropower?
- Iran ranks 126th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of electricity generation from hydropower rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of electricity generation from hydropower. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured as a percentage of total electricity produced in the country or region.