Energy Shift
Which Countries Have the World’s Largest Coal Reserves?
The Countries With the Largest Coal Reserves
Cheap and abundant coal remains one of the largest sources of energy worldwide, even as governments set out goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
While jurisdictions in Europe and North America have been phasing out coal use in power generation, it has been on the rise in Asia. China and India are scrambling to provide electricity to a growing population and relying on coal power plants to meet demands despite the environmental costs.
This infographic takes a look into the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2021, and the 11 countries that make up 89% of the coal reserves globally.
Coal Reserves, by Country
While countries need to phase out coal by 2040 to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5ºC, consumption in key markets is forecast to increase for the next few years and coal-fired electricity generation could hit a record in 2022, according to the International Energy Agency.
China leads the consumption, buying more than half of the global production and also producing 50% of the world’s coal.
Although the country recently announced a plan to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, it is still building coal power projects elsewhere in the world, according to the Coal Finance Tracker by EndCoal. Japan and South Korea are also still strongly financing coal extraction in Southeast Asia.
A shortlist of countries in four continents control ~1 billion tonnes of coal:
| Country | Coal Reserves (million tonnes) | Share of Global Reserves | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. 🇺🇸 | 248,941 | 23% | North America |
| Russia 🇷🇺 | 162,166 | 15% | Europe |
| Australia 🇦🇺 | 150,227 | 14% | Oceania |
| China 🇨🇳 | 143,197 | 13% | Asia |
| India 🇮🇳 | 111,052 | 10% | Asia |
| Germany 🇩🇪 | 35,900 | 3% | Europe |
| Indonesia 🇮🇩 | 34,869 | 3% | Asia |
| Ukraine 🇺🇦 | 34,375 | 3% | Europe |
| Poland 🇵🇱 | 28,395 | 2% | Europe |
| Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 | 25,605 | 2% | Asia |
| Turkey 🇹🇷 | 11,525 | 1% | Europe |
To put the numbers into perspective, the world has about 139 years of coal left at current consumption levels and excluding unproven reserves.
What are the Different Types of Coal?
Coal is formed when dead plant matter submerged in swamp environments is subjected to heat and pressure over hundreds of millions of years. Over time, the plant matter turns into a carbon-dense black or brownish-black sedimentary rock – coal.
There are four major types or “ranks” of coal, based on the types and amounts of carbon the coal contains and on the amount of heat energy the coal can produce:
- Anthracite: The highest rank, is a hard, brittle, and black lustrous substance. It contains a high percentage of fixed carbon and is mainly used in stoves, furnaces, and water filtration systems. Formation: 300-360 million years old.
- Bituminous: Middle rank, usually has a high heating (Btu) value and is used in electricity generation and steel-making. Formation: 100-300 million years old.
- Sub-bituminous: Black, not shiny, it has low-to-moderate heating values and is mainly used in electricity generation. Formation: 100 million years old.
- Lignite: Also called brown coal, it has the least concentration of carbon, low heating value, and is mainly used in electricity generation. Formation: 250 million years old.
Anthracite and bituminous coal make up 70% of coal reserves. The other 30% are divided between sub-bituminous and lignite.
The Future of Coal
Coal combustion still accounts for 40% of global CO2 emissions from energy use, despite all the efforts to reduce the share of power generated by fossil fuels.
Meanwhile, the coal mining industry employs about 8 million people and creates revenues of more than US$900 billion a year.
While growth in coal investments is slowing, coal use is unlikely to decline substantially in the medium term.
Energy Shift
Charted: Coal Still Dominates Global Electricity Generation
Fossil fuels account for nearly 60% of power generation.
Charted: Coal Still Dominates Global Electricity Generation
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- Fossil fuels made up nearly 60% of 2024 electricity generation.
- Coal accounts for 35% of total power generation.
Fossil Fuels Still Power Most of the World
Global energy demand grew faster than average in 2024, driven by rising electricity use across sectors. The power sector led the surge, with demand growing nearly twice as fast as overall energy use—fueled by increased cooling needs, industrial activity, transport electrification, and the expansion of data centers and AI.
Despite a growing push toward cleaner energy sources, coal remains the leading source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, fossil fuels accounted for nearly 60% of global power generation, with coal alone contributing 35%, according to the International Energy Agency.
While renewable energy continues to expand, making up about one-third of total electricity production, the global energy mix still leans heavily on traditional sources.
| Country | Coal | Natural Gas | Oil | Renewables | Nuclear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇳 India | 73.4% | 3.3% | 0.2% | 20.5% | 2.6% |
| 🇨🇳 China | 58.4% | 3.2% | 0.1% | 33.9% | 4.4% |
| 🇺🇸 U.S. | 15.6% | 42.6% | 0.7% | 23.3% | 17.9% |
| 🇪🇺 EU | 10.7% | 15.6% | 1.5% | 48.7% | 23.6% |
| 🌍 Global | 34.5% | 21.8% | 2.4% | 32.1% | 9.1% |
In emerging markets and developing economies, coal continues to be the backbone of power systems. China, the world’s largest energy consumer, generated nearly 60% of its electricity from coal. In India, coal’s dominance is even more pronounced, providing close to three-quarters of all electricity produced.
In contrast, advanced economies are increasingly relying on cleaner sources. In 2024, the European Union made significant strides in renewable energy adoption—nearly half of its electricity came from renewables, far exceeding the global average.
In the United States, natural gas led the power mix, accounting for over 40% of electricity generation in 2024. President Trump’s pro-coal policies and the surge in energy demand from AI innovation are expected to boost coal production in the U.S. over the next few years.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
If you enjoyed this topic, check out this graphic that shows how 36 companies are responsible for half of the fossil fuel and cement CO2 emissions.
Energy Shift
How the Largest Importers of Russian Fossil Fuels Have Changed (2022 vs. 2025)
Despite sanctions against Moscow, the EU remains a key consumer of Russian fossil fuels.
How the Largest Importers of Russian Fossil Fuels Have Changed (2022 vs. 2025)
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Since the war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, Russia has earned $915 billion from fossil fuel exports, with EU countries accounting for over $223 billion.
Despite sanctions against Moscow, the EU remains a key consumer of Russian fossil fuels.
This graphic highlights the largest importers of Russian fossil fuels, based on the daily flow of oil and gas, using data from the CREA Fossil Fuel Tracker as of March 2025.
China Becomes the Biggest Buyer
In June 2022, China overtook the EU as the largest importer of Russian fossil fuels. Today, China imports nearly six times more than the EU. India and Turkey have also emerged as major buyers.
| Country | 2022-01-14 (tonnes) | 2025-03-13 (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China | 435,025 | 607,288 |
| 🇪🇺 EU | 928,998 | 104,646 |
| 🌍 Others | 244,945 | 275,747 |
| 🇮🇳 India | 28,907 | 344,848 |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | 138,860 | 239,662 |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 93,267 | 30,255 |
| 🇺🇸 United States | 33,468 | 0 |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 49,062 | 0 |
Meanwhile, imports from the U.S. and UK, which were relatively small before the invasion, have dropped to zero.
EU Reliance on Russian Fuel
A report released by Ember estimates that European purchases of Russian gas amounted to €21.9 billion ($23.6 billion) in 2024.
Additionally, data collected by Kpler and analyzed by POLITICO Europe revealed that in the first 15 days of 2025, the 27 EU countries imported a record-high 837,300 metric tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia. This has raised concerns that billions of dollars could be fueling Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Russia’s Position in Global Oil Production
Russia remains one of the world’s top oil producers, frequently competing with Saudi Arabia for the second spot behind the United States.
Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia’s oil industry was privatized, but in 2021, the state forced a consolidation and restructuring of the sector. Today, Gazprom, Rosneft, and Lukoil are Russia’s leading oil and gas producers.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed this topic, check out this graphic that shows Ukraine’s mineral resources.
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