Energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy in China
China: Energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy was -5.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy in China, 1995–2020
Source: Kulionis (2021) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy in China is -5.2%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 25.1% on the previous year and up 53.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy in China peaked at -4.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, -20.1%, in 2007.
That places China 35th out of 43 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | -9.0% | — |
| 1996 | -10.2% | +13.7% |
| 1997 | -10.5% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | -11.3% | +7.1% |
| 1999 | -7.7% | -31.4% |
| 2000 | -9.2% | +19.3% |
| 2001 | -7.0% | -24.6% |
| 2002 | -8.5% | +21.8% |
| 2003 | -9.9% | +17.4% |
| 2004 | -11.4% | +14.6% |
| 2005 | -16.3% | +43.0% |
| 2006 | -19.6% | +20.5% |
| 2007 | -20.1% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | -17.4% | -13.7% |
| 2009 | -11.4% | -34.3% |
| 2010 | -11.3% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | -11.0% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | -10.5% | -4.9% |
| 2013 | -9.4% | -10.3% |
| 2014 | -9.4% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | -8.1% | -13.3% |
| 2016 | -5.3% | -34.9% |
| 2017 | -4.3% | -19.6% |
| 2018 | -4.6% | +8.2% |
| 2019 | -4.2% | -9.7% |
| 2020 | -5.2% | +25.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's -5.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -4.7%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
- China's -5.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -2.7%, 1.9× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -9.8% | -11.3% | -7.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | -13.1% | -20.1% | -7.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | -7.8% | -11.3% | -4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | -5.2% | -5.2% | -5.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More energy & mining data for China
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 2.15 % 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 20.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy in China?
- Energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy in China was -5.2% in 2020, according to Kulionis (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was -4.2% in 2019.
- What is the lowest energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -20.1% in 2007.
- How does China rank for energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy?
- China ranks 35th out of 43 countries with data for 2020.
- Is energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Kulionis (2021) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy embedded in traded goods as a share of domestic energy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net energy embedded in traded goods is the difference in energy embedded in exported goods, and imported goods. A positive value means that a country is a net importer; a negative means it's a net exporter. This is given as a percentage of a country's domestic energy use.