Number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking in China

China: Number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking was 159.41 million people in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
159.41 million people
Change on year
down 11.8%
World rank
3rd
of 189 countries
All-time high
753.80 million people
in 2000
All-time low
159.41 million people
in 2023
Years of data
24
2000–2023

Number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking in China, 2000–2023

200.0M400.0M600.0M800.0M2000201120232000: 753.8M people2001: 742.8M people2002: 732.4M people2003: 720.2M people2004: 703.8M people2005: 685.8M people2006: 667.3M people2007: 643.1M people2008: 619.9M people2009: 595.1M people2010: 563.2M people2011: 534.0M people2012: 499.7M people2013: 464.9M people2014: 425.3M people2015: 391.9M people2016: 358.1M people2017: 322.5M people2018: 287.6M people2019: 259.0M people2020: 228.6M people2021: 203.4M people2022: 180.8M people2023: 159.4M people

Source: World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

China recorded 159.41 million people for number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.

That represents a change of down 11.8% on the previous year and down 65.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking in China peaked at 753.80 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 159.41 million people, in 2023.

China ranks 3rd of 189 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.

Number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking in China, year by year

Annual values for Number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking in China, 2000 to 2023.
Year people Change
2000 753.80 million people
2001 742.76 million people -1.5%
2002 732.39 million people -1.4%
2003 720.22 million people -1.7%
2004 703.77 million people -2.3%
2005 685.76 million people -2.6%
2006 667.31 million people -2.7%
2007 643.13 million people -3.6%
2008 619.94 million people -3.6%
2009 595.07 million people -4.0%
2010 563.17 million people -5.4%
2011 533.98 million people -5.2%
2012 499.70 million people -6.4%
2013 464.87 million people -7.0%
2014 425.28 million people -8.5%
2015 391.88 million people -7.9%
2016 358.05 million people -8.6%
2017 322.53 million people -9.9%
2018 287.57 million people -10.8%
2019 259.02 million people -9.9%
2020 228.60 million people -11.7%
2021 203.38 million people -11.0%
2022 180.76 million people -11.1%
2023 159.41 million people -11.8%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 159.41 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 341,802 people, 466.4× the median. (57 countries reporting)
  • China's 159.41 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 339,294 people, 469.8× the median. (30 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 686.41 million people 595.07 million people 753.80 million people 10
2010s 410.60 million people 259.02 million people 563.17 million people 10
2020s 193.04 million people 159.41 million people 228.60 million people 4

Countries ranked near China

  1. 1 India 335.07 million people compare
  2. 2 Nigeria 168.18 million people compare
  3. 4 Bangladesh 122.77 million people compare
  4. 5 Ethiopia 119.56 million people compare
  5. 6 Pakistan 111.62 million people compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More reference data data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking in China?
Number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking in China was 159.41 million people in 2023, according to World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 753.80 million people in 2000.
What is the lowest number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 159.41 million people in 2023.
How does China rank for number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking?
China ranks 3rd out of 189 countries with data for 2023.
Is number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 65.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking in China. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/number-without-clean-cooking-fuel/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of people without access to clean fuels for cooking
Unit
people
Source
World Health Organization (via World Bank) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
189 places, 4,536 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

Access to clean fuels or technologies such as natural gas, electricity, and clean cookstoves reduces exposure to indoor air pollutants, a leading cause of death in low-income households.