Iran, Islamic Republic of vs Saudi Arabia: Oil reserves
Oil reserves over time
- Iran, Islamic Republic of
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 41.11 billion cubic meters against 33.16 billion cubic meters in Iran, Islamic Republic of, a difference of 7.95 billion cubic meters.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 1.2 times Iran, Islamic Republic of's.
Across all 42 years both countries report, Saudi Arabia has been ahead every year.
Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 3rd and Saudi Arabia ranks 2nd of 212 countries.
Saudi Arabia has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran, Islamic Republic of | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.69 billion cubic meters | 26.89 billion cubic meters | 17.19 billion cubic meters | Saudi Arabia |
| 1990s | 14.59 billion cubic meters | 41.44 billion cubic meters | 26.85 billion cubic meters | Saudi Arabia |
| 2000s | 18.34 billion cubic meters | 41.81 billion cubic meters | 23.46 billion cubic meters | Saudi Arabia |
| 2010s | 24.23 billion cubic meters | 42.22 billion cubic meters | 17.99 billion cubic meters | Saudi Arabia |
| 2020s | 28.95 billion cubic meters | 41.78 billion cubic meters | 12.83 billion cubic meters | Saudi Arabia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher oil reserves, Iran, Islamic Republic of or Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia, at 41.11 billion cubic meters against 33.16 billion cubic meters in Iran, Islamic Republic of as of 2021.
- What is the difference in oil reserves between Iran, Islamic Republic of and Saudi Arabia?
- 7.95 billion cubic meters, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran, Islamic Republic of and Saudi Arabia?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Iran, Islamic Republic of and Saudi Arabia rank globally for oil reserves?
- Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 3rd and Saudi Arabia ranks 2nd of 212 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) β with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Oil 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 cubic meters, 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. Includes crude oil and lease condensate.