Based on a comparison of 168 countries in 2019, China ranked the highest in solar capacity in terms of cumulative installed photovoltaic power with 205,000 MW followed by Japan and USA. On the other end of the scale was Paraguay with 0.057 MW, Chad with 0.200 MW and Central African Republic with 0.300 MW.
Total solar capacity in terms of cumulative installed photovoltaic power reached 584,401 MW in 2019 in the World according to World Bank / EIA. This is 19.7 % less than in the previous year and 97.1 % more than 10 years ago.
Historically, total solar capacity in terms of cumulative installed photovoltaic power reached an all time high of 584,401 MW in 2019 and an all time low of 173 MW in 1996. The average annual growth amounted to 41.3 % since 1996.
The top ranked country, China, accounted for 42.0 % of solar capacity in terms of cumulative installed photovoltaic power in the world. The top 3 countries hold a 67.1 % share while the ten largest countries some 99.0 % in 2019.
Data for more countries are available at Solar Capacity (Cumulative Installed Photovoltaic Power) indicator page.
Solar Capacity (Cumulative Installed Photovoltaic Power) | Unit | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
Australia | MW | 4,568 | 5,287 | 5,946 | 6,689 | 7,354 | ||||||||||||||||
China | MW | 15,890 | 26,500 | 43,200 | 77,420 | 130,420 | ||||||||||||||||
France | MW | 5,277 | 6,034 | 7,138 | 7,702 | 8,610 | ||||||||||||||||
Germany | MW | 36,710 | 37,900 | 39,224 | 40,679 | 42,293 | ||||||||||||||||
India | MW | ... | 1,499 | 3,673 | 5,593 | 9,879 | 18,152 | |||||||||||||||
Italy | MW | 18,185 | 18,594 | 18,901 | 19,283 | 19,682 | ||||||||||||||||
Japan | MW | 13,599 | 23,339 | 34,150 | 42,040 | 49,500 | ||||||||||||||||
Netherlands | MW | 746 | 1,048 | 1,515 | 2,049 | 2,903 | ||||||||||||||||
South Korea | MW | ... | 1,555 | 2,481 | 3,615 | 4,502 | 5,835 | |||||||||||||||
Spain | MW | 6,994 | 7,001 | 7,008 | 7,017 | 7,027 | ||||||||||||||||
Turkey | MW | 18.0 | 40.0 | 249 | 833 | 3,421 | ||||||||||||||||
USA | MW | 6,623 | 17,650 | 23,442 | 34,716 | 43,115 | ||||||||||||||||
Ukraine | MW | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 750 | 820 | 840 | 955 | 1,200 | |||||
United Kingdom | MW | 2,937 | 5,528 | 9,601 | 11,930 | 12,782 | ||||||||||||||||
Vietnam | MW | ... | 5.26 | 6.03 | 6.03 | 6.03 | 8.73 |