China vs India: Coal reserves
China
157.04 billion tonnes
in 2023
India
127.73 billion tonnes
in 2023
China rank
3rd
India rank
5th
Coal reserves over time
- China
- India
How they compare
China currently reports 157.04 billion tonnes against 127.73 billion tonnes in India, a difference of 29.31 billion tonnes.
That makes China's figure about 1.2 times India's.
Across all 16 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 3rd and India ranks 5th of 216 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 114.50 billion tonnes | 78.81 billion tonnes | 35.69 billion tonnes | China |
| 2010s | 129.48 billion tonnes | 92.89 billion tonnes | 36.59 billion tonnes | China |
| 2020s | 150.12 billion tonnes | 119.39 billion tonnes | 30.73 billion tonnes | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher coal reserves, China or India?
- China, at 157.04 billion tonnes against 127.73 billion tonnes in India as of 2023.
- What is the difference in coal reserves between China and India?
- 29.31 billion tonnes, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 16 years are reported by both, from 2008 to 2023.
- How do China and India rank globally for coal reserves?
- China ranks 3rd and India ranks 5th 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.