Iran, Islamic Republic of vs South Africa: Energy intensity of the economy

Iran, Islamic Republic of
2.4 kWh per 2011$PPP
in 2016
South Africa
2.27 kWh per 2011$PPP
in 2016
Iran, Islamic Republic of rank
14th
South Africa rank
17th

Energy intensity of the economy over time

  • Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • South Africa
123196519902016

How they compare

Iran, Islamic Republic of currently reports 2.4 kWh per 2011$PPP against 2.27 kWh per 2011$PPP in South Africa, a difference of 0.13 kWh per 2011$PPP.

That makes Iran, Islamic Republic of's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 52 shared years of data; in 1965 it was South Africa ahead.

Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 14th and South Africa ranks 17th of 161 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iran, Islamic Republic of South Africa Difference Ahead
1960s 0.9382 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.5 kWh per 2011$PPP 1.56 kWh per 2011$PPP South Africa
1970s 1.13 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.51 kWh per 2011$PPP 1.37 kWh per 2011$PPP South Africa
1980s 2.16 kWh per 2011$PPP 3.11 kWh per 2011$PPP 0.953 kWh per 2011$PPP South Africa
1990s 3.01 kWh per 2011$PPP 3.36 kWh per 2011$PPP 0.3513 kWh per 2011$PPP South Africa
2000s 2.16 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.75 kWh per 2011$PPP 0.5957 kWh per 2011$PPP South Africa
2010s 2.18 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.32 kWh per 2011$PPP 0.1349 kWh per 2011$PPP South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher energy intensity of the economy, Iran, Islamic Republic of or South Africa?
Iran, Islamic Republic of, at 2.4 kWh per 2011$PPP against 2.27 kWh per 2011$PPP in South Africa as of 2016.
What is the difference in energy intensity of the economy between Iran, Islamic Republic of and South Africa?
0.13 kWh per 2011$PPP, with Iran, Islamic Republic of ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iran, Islamic Republic of and South Africa?
52 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 2016.
How do Iran, Islamic Republic of and South Africa rank globally for energy intensity of the economy?
Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 14th and South Africa ranks 17th of 161 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Our World in Data based on BP; World Bank; and Maddison Project Database, published as Energy intensity of the economy (kWh per 2011$PPP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Iran, Islamic Republic of vs South Africa: Energy intensity of the economy. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data based on BP; World Bank; and Maddison Project Database. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/energy-intensity-of-the-economy-kwh-per-2011-ppp/iran-islamic-rep/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Energy intensity of the economy (kWh per 2011$PPP)
Unit
kWh per 2011$PPP
Source
Our World in Data based on BP; World Bank; and Maddison Project Database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
161 places, 6,650 data points, 1965–2016
Last refreshed

Energy intensity is measured as primary energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product. This is measured in kilowatt-hours per 2011$ (PPP).