China vs South Africa: Access to electricity
Access to electricity in 2024: 100% in China and 90.2% in South Africa, by World Bank estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in China, by 9.8 percentage points, or 1.11 times that in South Africa.
ChinaSouth Africa
Watch it change on the mapLatest figures
% of people · World Bank
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 100 2024 | 100 | 1 of 213 |
| South Africa | 90.2 2024 | 85.9 | 159 of 213 |
| World | 91.9 2024 | 86.2 |
What the numbers say
- China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2000.
- The world as a whole: 91.9% in 2024.
Every year
% of people · World Bank
| Year | China | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 100 | 90.2 | 91.9 |
| 2023 | 100 | 87.7 | 91.6 |
| 2022 | 100 | 86.5 | 91.3 |
| 2021 | 100 | 89.3 | 91.3 |
| 2020 | 100 | 90 | 90.4 |
| 2019 | 100 | 85 | 90.1 |
| 2018 | 100 | 84.7 | 89.8 |
| 2017 | 100 | 84.4 | 88.9 |
| 2016 | 100 | 83.9 | 88.1 |
| 2015 | 100 | 85.3 | 86.9 |
| 2014 | 100 | 85.9 | 86.2 |
| 2013 | 100 | 85.2 | 85.7 |
| 2012 | 99.9 | 85.2 | 84.9 |
| 2011 | 99.9 | 83.6 | 84.5 |
| 2010 | 99.7 | 82.8 | 83.5 |
| 2009 | 99.1 | 82.6 | 82.9 |
| 2008 | 98.8 | 81.9 | 82.7 |
| 2007 | 98.5 | 82 | 82 |
| 2006 | 98.2 | 80.7 | 81.4 |
| 2005 | 97.9 | 80.8 | 80.7 |
| 2004 | 97.7 | 80.6 | 80 |
| 2003 | 97.4 | 78.8 | 80 |
| 2002 | 97.2 | 76.7 | 79.1 |
| 2001 | 97 | 70.2 | 78.7 |
| 2000 | 96.7 | 72.4 | 78.2 |
| 1999 | – | 71.3 | 74.5 |
| 1998 | – | 64.9 | 73.2 |
| 1997 | – | 69.5 | – |
| 1996 | – | 57.6 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people with access to electricity, from national surveys and the power industry.
- Source: Tracking SDG 7 (World Bank ESMAP), via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 213 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time