Source: International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook 1996, (OECD, Paris, 1996), pp. 237-285; International Energy Agency, Energy Statistics and Balances, on diskette (OECD, Paris, 1997).

The graph above shows how much energy each region of the world or group of nations uses.

By far the largest share is used by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.  This group includes the United States and much of Europe, and is generally highly developed.

Africa and Latin America, because the regions are poor and much less economically developed, consume significantly less energy than the rest of the world.

The region where energy consumption is increasing quickest is Asia.  This is mainly because of China, whose government is fulfilling its promise to industrialize the country and is thus using considerably more energy.