The map above shows the wide disparity between countries in terms of the number of homes with air conditioning. From a high of 91% in Japan to under 5% in India there is a huge variation between countries.
The data comes from the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Here are the numbers by country:
- Japan: 91%
- United States: 90%
- Korea: 86%
- Saudi Arabia: 63%
- China: 60%
- Mexico: 16%
- Brazil: 16%
- Europe: 10%
- Indonesia: 9%
- South Africa: 6%
- India: 5%
However, if we look at the total number of installed units rather than percentage of households we get a slightly different picture (estimates for 2024):
- China: 905.25 million
- United States: 422.3 million
- Rest of world: 354.23 million
- Japan and Korea: 229.68 million
- European Union: 136.15 million
- India: 93.07 million
- Middle East: 71.82 million
- Brazil: 36.34 million
- Indonesia: 35.56 million
- Mexico: 29.34 million
And the lack of air conditoning has costs.
For example, The Guardian estimates 44,000 Europeans die from heat each year.
To put that in perspective that is slightly more than the number of Americans killed by guns each year.
Finally here’s a more detailed map between North America and Europe
And here’s another map (obviously using a different dataset):
What do you think? Please leave your comments below:
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PATRICK Gahwolf says
And yet scientists point out that Air Conditioning is NOT the solution to the Global Climate Change problem, but a part of it.
Vlad says
Those numbers don’t quite add up. You mentioned 136.15 million units for the EU. Let’s assume the average EU household has about 2 people, and needs 2 units, so one per person, on average. The EU population is currently around 450 million. That would suggest the AC use is 30%, not 10%. Of course, not all the units are residential installations, so the actual number will be less than 30%, but 10% seems way too low.
If we look at the US with its 422.3 units for 342 million people and 90% coverage, it seems you would need about 1.4 units per person for 100% coverage, and the EU has about 0.3 units per person. Based on that, I estimate the real coverage in the EU is around 20%, not 10%.