Per capita low-carbon energy vs. GDP per capita in China
China: Per capita low-carbon energy vs. GDP per capita was 3.96 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3.96 kilowatt-hours per person
Change on year
up 13.0%
World rank
35th
of 79 countries
All-time high
3.96 kilowatt-hours per person
in 2025
All-time low
0.0255 kilowatt-hours per person
in 1967
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Per capita low-carbon energy vs. GDP per capita in China, 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
China recorded 3.96 kilowatt-hours per person for per capita low-carbon energy vs. gdp per capita in 2025. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
The figure is up 13.0% on the previous year and up 175.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita low-carbon energy vs. gdp per capita in China peaked at 3.96 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0255 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1967.
China ranks 35th of 79 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.
Per capita low-carbon energy vs. GDP per capita in China, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.0305 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1966 | 0.0303 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 0.0255 kilowatt-hours per person | -15.9% |
| 1968 | 0.0293 kilowatt-hours per person | +15.0% |
| 1969 | 0.029 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 0.0292 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 0.0344 kilowatt-hours per person | +18.0% |
| 1972 | 0.0382 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.8% |
| 1973 | 0.0417 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.4% |
| 1974 | 0.0463 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.9% |
| 1975 | 0.0476 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 0.0475 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 0.0489 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 0.0452 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.5% |
| 1979 | 0.0501 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.8% |
| 1980 | 0.0592 kilowatt-hours per person | +18.2% |
| 1981 | 0.0657 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.9% |
| 1982 | 0.0734 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.8% |
| 1983 | 0.084 kilowatt-hours per person | +14.4% |
| 1984 | 0.0832 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 0.0872 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 0.0878 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 0.0912 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 0.0979 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.3% |
| 1989 | 0.1044 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 0.1104 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.7% |
| 1991 | 0.107 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.1% |
| 1992 | 0.1113 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 0.132 kilowatt-hours per person | +18.5% |
| 1994 | 0.1776 kilowatt-hours per person | +34.5% |
| 1995 | 0.1967 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.8% |
| 1996 | 0.1925 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 0.2005 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 0.2001 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 0.199 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 0.2223 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.7% |
| 2001 | 0.2656 kilowatt-hours per person | +19.5% |
| 2002 | 0.2916 kilowatt-hours per person | +9.8% |
| 2003 | 0.3316 kilowatt-hours per person | +13.7% |
| 2004 | 0.4011 kilowatt-hours per person | +20.9% |
| 2005 | 0.4467 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.4% |
| 2006 | 0.4858 kilowatt-hours per person | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 0.5455 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.3% |
| 2008 | 0.691 kilowatt-hours per person | +26.7% |
| 2009 | 0.7002 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 0.7864 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.3% |
| 2011 | 0.8185 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 0.9963 kilowatt-hours per person | +21.7% |
| 2013 | 1.1 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.2% |
| 2014 | 1.29 kilowatt-hours per person | +17.1% |
| 2015 | 1.44 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.7% |
| 2016 | 1.62 kilowatt-hours per person | +13.0% |
| 2017 | 1.8 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.8% |
| 2018 | 2.02 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.4% |
| 2019 | 2.27 kilowatt-hours per person | +12.3% |
| 2020 | 2.43 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.0% |
| 2021 | 2.71 kilowatt-hours per person | +11.5% |
| 2022 | 2.89 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.8% |
| 2023 | 3.1 kilowatt-hours per person | +7.3% |
| 2024 | 3.51 kilowatt-hours per person | +13.1% |
| 2025 | 3.96 kilowatt-hours per person | +13.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 3.96 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.45 kilowatt-hours per person, 2.7× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- China's 3.96 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.65 kilowatt-hours per person, 2.4× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0289 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.0255 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.0305 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
| 1970s | 0.0429 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.0292 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.0501 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0834 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.0592 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.1044 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1627 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.107 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.2005 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4381 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.2223 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.7002 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.41 kilowatt-hours per person | 0.7864 kilowatt-hours per person | 2.27 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1 kilowatt-hours per person | 2.43 kilowatt-hours per person | 3.96 kilowatt-hours per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita low-carbon energy vs. gdp per capita in China?
- Per capita low-carbon energy vs. gdp per capita in China was 3.96 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 low-carbon energy vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3.96 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025.
- What is the lowest per capita low-carbon energy vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0255 kilowatt-hours per person in 1967.
- How does China rank for per capita low-carbon energy vs. gdp per capita?
- China ranks 35th out of 79 countries with data for 2025.
- Is per capita low-carbon energy vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 175.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 low-carbon energy vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per person.