Global per capita energy consumption by select country 2023

Qatar has the highest per capita energy consumption worldwide. In 2023, residents in Qatar used an average of 225 megawatt-hours worth of energy - all of which was derived from fossil fuels.

Sources of primary energy

Except for the Nordic countries and Canada, all other countries listed among the top 10 sourced energy almost exclusively from fossil fuels. In 2023, oil and coal were the main fuels used for primary energy worldwide. Many of the leading consumer countries are also responsible for large oil production shares or the refining thereof.

Differences in energy consumption

There is a notable disparity between the highest and lowest energy users. Resource-rich countries outside the temperate climate zone tend to use more energy to heat or cool homes and are also more likely to use greater amounts of energy as costs are much lower. For example, electricity prices in oil and gas-producing countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia are only a fraction of those of resource-poor countries in Europe. Furthermore, energy consumption disparity is a strong indicator of the different income levels around the world and largely tied to economic prosperity.