U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #745: September 17, 2012
Vehicles per Thousand People: U.S. Compared to Other Countries

The graphs below show the number of motor vehicles per thousand people for various countries. The data for the United States are displayed in the line which goes from 1900 to 2010. The points labeled on that line show data for the other countries/regions around the world and how their vehicles per thousand people compare to the United States at two different points in time, 2000 and 2010. For instance, the graph shows that in 2000, Western Europe's vehicles per thousand people was about where the United States was in 1970, but by 2010 it is about where the United States was in 1972. The lower part of the graph (1900-1940) is shown enlarged below.

The number of vehicles per thousand people in the United States has grown significantly from 1900 to 2007. In 2008 to 2010, however, the number decreased from a high of 843.57 in 2007.

Vehicles per Thousand People: U.S. (Over Time) Compared to Other Countries (in 2000 and 2010) Graphic showing the vehicles per thousand people in the U.S. (overtime) compared to other countries in 2000 and 2010. See table below for more detailed information.
Graphic showing the vehicles per thousand people in the U.S. (overtime) compared to other countries from 1900 to 1940. See table below for more detailed information.

Supporting Information

Vehicles per Thousand People in Other Countries, 2000 and 2010
Country/Region Vehicle per 1,000 people
2000 2010
Africa 23.1 29.9
Asia, Far East 39.8 66.7
Asia, Middle East 92.2 106.2
Brazil 109.5 159.6
Canada 565.0 623.6
Central & South America 107.0 150.4
China 10.6 58.7
Europe, East 200.7 321.8
Europe, West 540.7 587.2
India 7.5 17.7
Indonesia 14.1 77.8
Pacific 456.0 565.3

Vehicles per Thousand People in the United States, 1900-2010
Year U.S. vehicles per 1,000 people Year U.S. vehicles per 1,000 people Year U.S. vehicles per 1,000 people Year U.S. vehicles per 1,000 people Year U.S. vehicles per 1,000 people
1900 0.11 1923 134.90 1946 243.11 1969 533.37 1992 757.96
1901 0.19 1924 154.35 1947 262.56 1970 545.35 1993 761.94
1902 0.29 1925 173.26 1948 280.20 1971 562.45 1994 766.94
1903 0.41 1926 189.10 1949 299.56 1972 585.60 1995 770.99
1904 0.67 1927 195.77 1950 323.71 1973 615.19 1996 781.16
1905 0.94 1928 204.87 1951 337.14 1974 632.32 1997 776.02
1906 1.27 1929 219.31 1952 340.57 1975 640.07 1998 781.20
1907 1.65 1930 217.34 1953 353.67 1976 659.47 1999 790.07
1908 2.24 1931 210.37 1954 361.40 1977 669.03 2000 800.30
1909 3.45 1932 195.38 1955 379.77 1978 690.17 2001 825.49
1910 5.07 1933 192.38 1956 387.58 1979 700.42 2002 815.22
1911 6.81 1934 199.90 1957 392.11 1980 710.71 2003 815.50
1912 9.90 1935 208.61 1958 392.17 1981 715.22 2004 829.26
1913 12.94 1936 222.62 1959 402.83 1982 713.95 2005 836.58
1914 17.79 1937 233.33 1960 410.37 1983 724.30 2006 840.09
1915 24.77 1938 229.65 1961 415.11 1984 728.20 2007 843.57
1916 35.48 1939 236.93 1962 426.06 1985 744.50 2008 840.80
1917 49.57 1940 245.63 1963 438.75 1986 753.33 2009 828.04
1918 59.69 1941 261.57 1964 451.57 1987 758.58 2010 811.83
1919 72.50 1942 244.73 1965 466.90 1988 772.92    
1920 86.78 1943 225.89 1966 489.34 1989 776.99    
1921 96.68 1944 220.23 1967 500.66 1990 773.40    
1922 111.53 1945 221.80 1968 516.49 1991 760.19    
Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition 31, Tables 3.5 and 3.6.

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