Countries ranked by hydropower share of electricity
Bhutan ranks first with 100%, ahead of Paraguay (99.5%) and Nepal (98.8%). The world figure is 14%. 155 countries ranked, latest data 2025.
Hydropower is still the world's largest renewable electricity source. This ranking shows the share of each country's electricity generated by hydroelectric dams and run-of-river plants (pumped-storage output is generally excluded because it only shifts energy in time).
Mountainous and river-rich countries dominate: several generate almost all of their electricity from water, which also makes them exposed to droughts.
Ranking rule. Countries and territories that generate less than 1 TWh of electricity a year (mostly small islands) are left out, because one diesel generator or one solar farm can swing their shares by tens of points. Values older than 2020 are also excluded.
Full ranking
Leaders by continent
Asia
- Bhutan100%
- Nepal98.8%
- Tajikistan94.4%
North America
- Costa Rica74.8%
- Panama53.1%
- Canada52.8%
Oceania
- New Zealand54.8%
- Fiji52.2%
- Papua New Guinea21.1%
Hydro share: frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest hydro share?
What is the world average hydro share?
Which continent leads on hydro share?
What does “Hydro share” measure?
How many countries get more than half their electricity from this source?
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Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries