China vs Germany: Coal reserves
China
157.04 billion tonnes
in 2023
Germany
35.40 billion tonnes
in 2023
China rank
3rd
Germany rank
6th
Coal reserves over time
- China
- Germany
How they compare
China currently reports 157.04 billion tonnes against 35.40 billion tonnes in Germany, a difference of 121.64 billion tonnes.
That makes China's figure about 4.4 times Germany's.
Across all 16 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 3rd and Germany ranks 6th of 216 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Germany | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 114.50 billion tonnes | 40.69 billion tonnes | 73.81 billion tonnes | China |
| 2010s | 129.48 billion tonnes | 37.64 billion tonnes | 91.84 billion tonnes | China |
| 2020s | 150.12 billion tonnes | 35.65 billion tonnes | 114.47 billion tonnes | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher coal reserves, China or Germany?
- China, at 157.04 billion tonnes against 35.40 billion tonnes in Germany as of 2023.
- What is the difference in coal reserves between China and Germany?
- 121.64 billion tonnes, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Germany?
- 16 years are reported by both, from 2008 to 2023.
- How do China and Germany rank globally for coal reserves?
- China ranks 3rd and Germany ranks 6th of 216 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.