United States vs USSR: Oil reserves
United States
7.49 billion cubic meters
in 2020
USSR
9.06 billion cubic meters
in 1991
United States rank
11th
USSR rank
9th
Oil reserves over time
- United States
- USSR
How they compare
USSR currently reports 9.06 billion cubic meters against 7.49 billion cubic meters in United States, a difference of 1.57 billion cubic meters.
That makes USSR's figure about 1.2 times United States's.
Across all 12 years both countries report, USSR has been ahead every year.
United States ranks 11th and USSR ranks 9th of 216 countries.
USSR has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | United States | USSR | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.73 billion cubic meters | 9.85 billion cubic meters | 5.12 billion cubic meters | USSR |
| 1990s | 4.41 billion cubic meters | 9.17 billion cubic meters | 4.77 billion cubic meters | USSR |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher oil reserves, United States or USSR?
- USSR, at 9.06 billion cubic meters against 7.49 billion cubic meters in United States as of 1991.
- What is the difference in oil reserves between United States and USSR?
- 1.57 billion cubic meters, with USSR ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for United States and USSR?
- 12 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 1991.
- How do United States and USSR rank globally for oil reserves?
- United States ranks 11th and USSR ranks 9th of 216 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – 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.