Brazil vs South Africa: Coal reserves
Brazil
6.60 billion tonnes
in 2023
South Africa
9.89 billion tonnes
in 2023
Brazil rank
17th
South Africa rank
14th
Coal reserves over time
- Brazil
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 9.89 billion tonnes against 6.60 billion tonnes in Brazil, a difference of 3.30 billion tonnes.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.5 times Brazil's.
Across all 16 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Brazil ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 14th of 212 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Brazil | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.60 billion tonnes | 32.45 billion tonnes | 25.85 billion tonnes | South Africa |
| 2010s | 6.60 billion tonnes | 27.48 billion tonnes | 20.88 billion tonnes | South Africa |
| 2020s | 6.60 billion tonnes | 9.89 billion tonnes | 3.30 billion tonnes | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher coal reserves, Brazil or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 9.89 billion tonnes against 6.60 billion tonnes in Brazil as of 2023.
- What is the difference in coal reserves between Brazil and South Africa?
- 3.30 billion tonnes, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Brazil and South Africa?
- 16 years are reported by both, from 2008 to 2023.
- How do Brazil and South Africa rank globally for coal reserves?
- Brazil ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 14th of 212 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Coal reserves. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Proved reserves, measured in tonnes, are generally those quantities that can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions, according to geological and engineering information.