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Who Uses the World’s Coal?

 


April 27, 2026 - Coal consumption is more concentrated than any other major fuel globally. 

This chart ranks the world’s largest coal consumers using data from the Statistical Review of World Energy 2025, highlighting how demand is distributed across major economies.

 

Who Uses the World’s Coal?

 

Key Takeaways
  • China accounts for 51.7% of global coal consumption, using more than all other countries combined.
  • The top six countries make up 87% of global demand.
  • India is a distant second at 11.7%, followed by Indonesia (9.0%).
  • The U.S. and Australia each contribute about 5% of global demand.
 

 


Why China Uses So Much Coal

 

 
China consumes 4,780 million tonnes of coal annually, over half the global total, reflecting its role as the world’s largest industrial producer and its continued reliance on coal for electricity generation despite rapid growth in renewables.
 
Below we list the biggest coal consumers based on 2024 data:
 
Rank Country Millions of tonnes of coal (2024) Share
1 China 4,780.0 51.7%
2  India 1,085.1 11.7%
3  Indonesia 836.1 9.0%
4  U.S. 464.6 5.0%
5 Australia 462.9 5.0%
6 Russia 427.2 4.6%
7 South Africa 235.0 2.5%
8 Germany 91.9 1.0%
9 Türkiye 87.0 0.9%
10  Poland 85.2 0.9%
11 Colombia 52.7 0.6%
12 Vietnam 43.8 0.5%
13 Canada 42.6 0.5%
-- Other 547.4 5.9%
-- World 9,241.5 100.0%

 

Together, the top six countries account for 87% of global coal consumption, underscoring how demand is concentrated in a small number of large economies.
 
Beyond China, coal consumption is heavily concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region. India (11.7%), Indonesia (9.0%), and Australia (5.0%) are other major Asia-Pacific consumers, while the U.S. also sits at 5.0% of demand.
 
Where Coal Consumption is Still Growing
 
As countries transition toward cleaner energy, coal demand is expected to diverge. While usage is declining in many advanced economies, it remains resilient in fast-growing regions where energy demand continues to rise.
The following table shows where coal use is still growing between 2023 and 2024:
 
Rank Country Coal Use (2023) Coal Use (2024) Growth (YoY)
1 Türkiye 74.2 87.0 16.9%
2 Pakistan 17.4 19.1 9.5%
3 Indonesia 775.2 836.1 7.6%
4 India 1011.3 1085.1 7.0%
5 China 4723.3 4780.0 0.9%

 

While coal use is declining across much of the West, it continues to grow in several emerging economies—highlighting the uneven pace of the global energy transition.