New Zealand vs South Africa: Coal reserves
New Zealand
6.75 billion tonnes
in 2023
South Africa
9.89 billion tonnes
in 2023
New Zealand rank
16th
South Africa rank
14th
Coal reserves over time
- New Zealand
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 9.89 billion tonnes against 6.75 billion tonnes in New Zealand, a difference of 3.14 billion tonnes.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.5 times New Zealand's.
Across all 16 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
New Zealand ranks 16th and South Africa ranks 14th of 216 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.57 billion tonnes | 32.45 billion tonnes | 24.88 billion tonnes | South Africa |
| 2010s | 7.57 billion tonnes | 27.48 billion tonnes | 19.90 billion tonnes | South Africa |
| 2020s | 7.16 billion tonnes | 9.89 billion tonnes | 2.73 billion tonnes | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher coal reserves, New Zealand or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 9.89 billion tonnes against 6.75 billion tonnes in New Zealand as of 2023.
- What is the difference in coal reserves between New Zealand and South Africa?
- 3.14 billion tonnes, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and South Africa?
- 16 years are reported by both, from 2008 to 2023.
- How do New Zealand and South Africa rank globally for coal reserves?
- New Zealand ranks 16th and South Africa ranks 14th 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.