Understanding Fossil Fuels, through the country-lens
Recognising countries with the largest fossil fuel reserve and production is crucial to help you understand the economic realities of the modern world that interact with climate solutions.
Countries with significant fossil fuel resources ( and many time, financial income from export of it ) often tend to resist phasing out fossil fuels, hindering any major progress in climate action.
These countries traditionally have a substantial influence on global energy prices and security; and use these levers to keep fossils in the economy.
Recognising these countries (and their financial motives and/or insecurities) makes climate negotiations more transparent and effective. It also facilitates meaningful discussions on emission reduction commitments, fosters cooperation on technology transfer, and helps plan energy transitions effectively.
Total global proved coal reserve at the end of 2020 was 1074108 million tonnes.
USA was recorded as having the largest proven coal reserve with 23.2% of global total, followed by Russian Federation (15.1%), Australia (14%), China (13.3%) and India (10.3%).
The top 5 countries had 69% of global proved coal reserve.
Note: Total proved reserves of coal – generally taken to be those quantities that geological and engineering information indicates with reasonable certainty can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions.
Note: This is the last known publicly available data published in 2021. The publisher of this data provides a caveat that the total proved coal reserves does not necessarily represent its view of proved reserves by country.
Total global proved oil reserve at the end of 2020 was 244.4 thousand million tonnes.
Venezuela was recorded as having the largest proven oil reserve with 19.6% of global total, followed by Saudi Arabia (16.7%), Canada (11.1%), Iran (8.9%) and Iraq (8%).
The top 5 countries had 64.4% of global proved oil reserve.
Other notable countries with large oil reserves include Russian Federation (6.2%), US (4%), Kuwait (5.9%), UAE (5.6%) and Libya (2.8%), which make another 24.5%.
The top 10 countries had 86.4% of global proved oil reserve.
Nations can experience large increases in proven reserves when previously uneconomic deposits become economically viable, as seen in Canada and Venezuela with oil sands and heavy oil, respectively.
Note: Total proved reserves of oil – generally taken to be those quantities that geological and engineering information indicates with reasonable certainty can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions.
Note: Estimates of proven oil reserves vary by source (e.g., OPEC, CIA World Factbook, oil companies) and may differ based on the types of oil included and the definitions of proven reserves.
Note: This is the last known publicly available data published in 2021. The publisher of this data provides a caveat that the total proved coal reserves does not necessarily represent its view of proved reserves by country.
Total global proved oil reserve at the end of 2020 was 188.10 trillion cubic metres.
Russian Federation was recorded as having the largest proven natural gas reserve with 19.9% of global total, followed by Iran (17.1%), Qatar (13.1%), Turkmenistan (7.2%) and US (6.7%).
The top 5 countries had 64% of global proved natural gas reserve.
Other notable countries with large oil reserves include China (4.5%), Venezuela (3.3%), Saudi Arabia (3.2%), UAE (3.1%) and Nigeria (2.9%), which make another 17.1%.
The top 10 countries had 81.1% of global proved oil reserve.
During the same year, India had less than 1% of global natural reserves.
Note: Total proved reserves of oil – generally taken to be those quantities that geological and engineering information indicates with reasonable certainty can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions.
Note: This is the last known publicly available data published in 2021. The publisher of this data provides a caveat that the total proved coal reserves does not necessarily represent its view of proved reserves by country.
In 2023 , total global coal production stood at 9,095.7 million tonnes.
China alone produced more than half of the global coal at 52% of global total, followed by India (11%), Indonesia (9%), US (6%) and Australia (5%).
The top 5 countries were responsible 82% of global coal production.
Russian Federation closely followed Australia to the sixth place with 4.75% of global total.
Note: Includes commercial solid fuels only, i.e. bituminous coal and anthracite (hard coal), and lignite and brown (sub-bituminous) coal, and other commercial solid fuels. Includes coal produced for Coal-to-Liquids and Coal-to-Gas transformations.
In 2023 , total global oil production stood at 4,514.10 million tonnes (82,757 thousands of barrels per day).
USA produced the largest quantity of oil reserve by thousands of barrels per day with 15.6% of global total, followed by Russian Federation (12.8%), Saudi Arabia (11.6%), Canada (6%) and Iraq (5.2%).
The top 5 countries were responsible for 51% of global oil production.
China closely followed Iraq to the sixth place with 5.1% of global total.
Note: Includes crude oil, shale oil, oil sands, condensates (lease condensate or gas condensates that require further refining) and NGLs (natural gas liquids – ethane, LPG and naphtha separated from the production of natural gas). Excludes liquid fuels from other sources such as biofuels and synthetic derivatives of coal and natural gas. This also excludes liquid fuel adjustment factors such as refinery processing gain. Excludes oil shales/kerogen extracted in solid form.
In 2023 , total global natural gas production stood at 4,059.2 billion cubic meters.
USA produced the largest quantity of oil reserve by thousands of barrels per day with 25.5% of global total, followed by Russian Federation (14.4%), Iran (6.2%), China (5.8%) and Qatar (4.5%).
The top 5 countries were responsible for 56.4% of global natural gas production.
Norway and Saudi Arabia closely with 2.9% and 2.8% of global natural gas production.
Note: Excludes gas flared or recycled. Includes natural gas produced for Gas-to-Liquids transformation.
In 2023 , total global coal consumption stood at 164.03 Exajoules.
China alone consumed 56.1% of global total, followed by India (13.4%), US (5%), Japan (2.8%) and Indonesia (2.6%).
The top 5 countries were responsible 80% of global coal consumed.
Note: Commercial solid fuels only, i.e. bituminous coal and anthracite (hard coal), and lignite and brown (sub-bituminous) coal, and other commercial solid fuels. Excludes coal converted to liquid or gaseous fuels, but includes coal consumed in transformation processes.
In 2023 , total global oil consumption stood at 196.43 Exajoules.
US was the largest consumer with 18.3% of global total, followed by China (16.7%), India (5.4%), Saudi Arabia (3.8%) and Russian Federation (3.7%).
The top 5 countries were responsible 47.8% of global oil consumed.
Note: Inland demand plus international aviation and marine bunkers and refinery fuel and loss. Consumption of bio-gasoline (such as ethanol) and bio-diesel are excluded while derivatives of coal and natural gas are included.
In 2023 , total global natural gas consumption stood at 196.43 Exajoules.
US was the largest consumer with 22.1% of global total, followed by Russian Federation (11.3%), China (10.1%), Iran (6.1%) and Canada (3%).
The top 5 countries were responsible 52.6% of global natural gas consumed.
Notes: Excludes natural gas converted to liquid fuels but includes derivatives of coal as well as natural gas consumed in Gas-to-Liquids transformation.
Reserve: 34,869 million tonnes of coal accounting for 3.2% of the global total. Takes the fifth position after China at 13.3% of global total.
Production: 1010.9 million tonnes of coal accounting for 11% of global total. Takes the second position after China that alone accounted for 52%.
Consumption: 21.98 Exajoules, accounting for 13.4% of global total. Takes the second position after China that alone accounted for 56.1%.
Reserve: 0.60 thousand million tonnes of proven oil reserve accounting for 0.25% of global total.
Production: Responsible for 33 million tonnes of oil production accounting for 0.72% of global total.
Consumption: 10.57 Exajoules, accounting for 5.4% of global total. Takes the third position after US and China that accounted for 18.3% and 16.7% respectively.
Reserve: India has 1.3 trillion cubic metre of proven natural gas reserve accounting for 0.5% of global total.
Production: 31.6 billion cubic metres of natural gas accounting for 0.8% of global total.
Consumption: 2.25 Exajoules, accounting for 1.6% of global total.
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