Hydro share of electricity — all countries

Hydro share of electricity — World

Hydro share of electricity in the world in 2024 — 16.12%. Since 1990, the indicator has fallen by 2.31 pp.

2024 16.12% +1.58 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 19.15%1995
Period minimum 14.54%2023

Trend over time

1990–2024 · % of generation

Hydro share of electricity — World, 1990–20241416182019901994199820022006201020142018202220241990: 18.43%1991: 18.64%1992: 18.47%1993: 19.1%1994: 18.82%1995: 19.15%1996: 18.81%1997: 18.66%1998: 18.29%1999: 17.82%2000: 17.43%2001: 16.94%2002: 16.75%2003: 16.24%2004: 16.48%2005: 16.48%2006: 16.41%2007: 15.95%2008: 16.24%2009: 16.56%2010: 16.4%2011: 16.13%2012: 16.49%2013: 16.57%2014: 16.52%2015: 16.35%2016: 16.52%2017: 16.25%2018: 16.16%2019: 16.12%2020: 16.56%2021: 15.41%2022: 15.25%2023: 14.54%2024: 16.12%
Change over the period: −2.31 pp Annual average: -0.07 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: World

World 16.12%
World 16.12%
Hydro share of electricity — World, by year World All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 16.12 +1.58 pp
2023 14.54 −0.7 pp
2022 15.25 −0.17 pp
2021 15.41 −1.14 pp
2020 16.56 +0.43 pp
2019 16.12 −0.04 pp
2018 16.16 −0.09 pp
2017 16.25 −0.27 pp
2016 16.52 +0.17 pp
2015 16.35 −0.17 pp
2014 16.52 −0.04 pp
2013 16.57 +0.08 pp
2012 16.49 +0.35 pp
2011 16.13 −0.27 pp
2010 16.4 −0.16 pp
2009 16.56 +0.31 pp
2008 16.24 +0.3 pp
2007 15.95 −0.46 pp
2006 16.41 −0.07 pp
2005 16.48 −0 pp
2004 16.48 +0.24 pp
2003 16.24 −0.51 pp
2002 16.75 −0.19 pp
2001 16.94 −0.49 pp
2000 17.43 −0.39 pp
1999 17.82 −0.46 pp
1998 18.29 −0.38 pp
1997 18.66 −0.15 pp
1996 18.81 −0.34 pp
1995 19.15 +0.33 pp
1994 18.82 −0.28 pp
1993 19.1 +0.63 pp
1992 18.47 −0.17 pp
1991 18.64 +0.21 pp
1990 18.43

About the indicator

The share of electricity generated at hydroelectric plants. The oldest of the renewable sources and still the largest: hydro yields more electricity than solar and wind together. The share is set by terrain and water availability rather than by policy, so in a number of countries it exceeds ninety percent — and that makes them vulnerable to drought: in a dry year such a country has to burn fuel or buy electricity.

Important: Aggregates are weighted by generation in terawatt-hours and computed from 2000 onward. The series swings noticeably from year to year with water availability, and that is not a data error.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.