From a continental perspective, Asian countries accounted for the highest dollar worth of imported coal in 2019 with purchases amounting to $101.9 billion or 77.2% of the worldwide total. In second place were European importers at 16.6%.
Smaller percentages were sold to Latin America (3.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1.5%), North America (1.2%) and Oceania (0.1%) led by New Caledonia and Australia.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2701 for coal and similar solid fuels made from coal.
Coal Imports by Country
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of coal during 2019.
- Japan: US$23.3 billion (17.6% of total imported coal)
- India: $23 billion (17.5%)
- China: $18.9 billion (14.3%)
- South Korea: $14.1 billion (10.7%)
- Taiwan: $7 billion (5.3%)
- Germany: $4.5 billion (3.4%)
- Netherlands: $4.4 billion (3.4%)
- Turkey: $3.6 billion (2.7%)
- Malaysia: $2.9 billion (2.2%)
- Brazil: $2.9 billion (2.2%)
- Vietnam: $2.2 billion (1.7%)
- Philippines: $1.9 billion (1.4%)
- Poland: $1.7 billion (1.3%)
- France: $1.6 billion (1.2%)
- Ukraine: $1.5 billion (1.2%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for coal since 2015 were: Vietnam (up 395%), Philippines (up 177.7%), Poland (up 152.5%) and Malaysia (up 121.6%).
Ukraine was the sole top supplier to decline via a -5.7% drop over the 5-year period.
The listed 15 countries purchased 86.1% of all coal imported in 2019.
Japan
Coal Imports into Japan
Japan’s global purchases of imported coal totaled US$23.3 billion in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Japan imported the highest dollar value worth of coal during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Australia: US$13.7 billion (up 28% from 2015)
- Indonesia: $2.8 billion (up 13.8%)
- Russia: $2.3 billion (up 70%)
- United States: $2 billion (up 208.7%)
- Canada: $1.7 billion (up 104.8%)
- China: $306.8 million (up 47.6%)
- Colombia: $177.8 million (up 454.3%)
- Mozambique: $173.9 million (up 364.9%)
- Vietnam: $60.3 million (down -7.8%)
- New Zealand: $47 million (up 273.6%)
- South Africa: $32.5 million (up 583.7%)
- Mexico: $19.3 million (no 2015 data)
- Kazakhstan: $5.3 million (down -46.9%)
- Thailand: $2.2 million (no 2015 data)
- Taiwan: $655,000 (up 93.8%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 100.0% of coal imported by Japan in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of coal to Japan since 2015 were: South Africa (up 583.7%), Colombia (up 454.3%), Mozambique (up 364.9%) and New Zealand (up 273.6%).
Two countries experienced declines in the value of their coal supplied to Japanese importers namely Kazakhstan (down -46.9%) and Vietnam (down -7.8%).
Overall, the value of Japan’s imported coal rose by an average 42.6% from all supplying countries since 2015 when coal purchased cost $16.3 billion.
India
Coal Imports into India
India’s global purchases of imported coal totaled US$23 billion in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which India imported the highest dollar value worth of coal during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Australia: US$7.6 billion (up 57.2% from 2015)
- Indonesia: $7.2 billion (up 32.7%)
- South Africa: $2.8 billion (up 26.7%)
- United States: $1.6 billion (up 233.4%)
- Canada: $967.7 million (up 481.7%)
- Russia: $883.8 million (up 216.8%)
- Mozambique: $667.5 million (up 212.7%)
- Singapore: $615.9 million (no 2015 data)
- United Arab Emirates: $183 million (up 12442.8%)
- Switzerland: $161.9 million (no 2015 data)
- New Zealand: $85.9 million (down -5.2%)
- China: $59.9 million (up 282.8%)
- Latvia: $42 million (up 12,101%)
- Netherlands: $21.3 million (up 49,421%)
- United Kingdom: $19.7 million (up 1,245%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.6% of coal imported by India in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of coal to India since 2015 were: Netherlands (up 49,421%), United Arab Emirates (up 12,443%), Latvia (up 12,101%) and United Kingdom (up 1,245%).
Via a -5.2% slowdown, New Zealand was the sole top supplier that experienced a decline in the value of its coal supplied to India.
Overall, the value of India’s imported coal increased by an average 64.4% from all supplying countries since 2015 when coal purchased cost $14 billion.
China
Coal Imports into China
China’s global purchases of imported coal totaled US$18.9 billion in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which China imported the highest dollar value worth of coal during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Australia: US$9.3 billion (up 76.2% from 2015)
- Mongolia: $3.1 billion (up 473.9%)
- Indonesia: $3 billion (up 92.5%)
- Russia: $2.5 billion (up 144.1%)
- Canada: $672.3 million (up 21.3%)
- United States: $157.8 million (up 1165.4%)
- Colombia: $117.6 million (no 2015 data)
- Kazakhstan: $18 million (up 15141.5%)
- Vietnam: $8.7 million (down -80%)
- New Zealand: $4.9 million (down -79.4%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $4.7 million (up 1857.5%)
- Iran: $2.9 million (up 88.6%)
- Malaysia: $2.7 million (up 133.2%)
- Laos: $1.1 million (no 2015 data)
- Myanmar (Burma): $1 million (no 2015 data)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.9999% of coal imported by China in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of coal to China since 2015 were: Kazakhstan (up 15,142%), Kyrgyzstan (up 1,858%), United States (up 1,165%) and Mongolia (up 473.9%).
Two countries experienced declines in the value of their coal supplied to Chinese importers: Vietnam (down -80%) and New Zealand (down -79.4%).
Overall, the value of China’s imported coal appreciated by an average 87.1% from all supplying countries since 2015 when coal purchased cost $10.1 billion.
Korea
Coal Imports into South Korea
South Korea’s global purchases of imported natural honey totaled US$14.1 billion in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which South Korea imported the highest dollar value worth of coal during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Australia: US$5.7 billion (up 19.9% from 2015)
- Russia: $2.8 billion (up 67.8%)
- Indonesia: $1.8 billion (up 1.6%)
- Canada: $1.7 billion (up 96.7%)
- United States: $564.2 million (up 46.9%)
- Colombia: $512.5 million (up 14,525%)
- South Africa: $336.1 million (up 2,810%)
- China: $314.1 million (up 10%)
- Mozambique: $178.4 million (up 2,209%)
- Latvia: $40.3 million (down 0%)
- New Zealand: $39.1 million (up 3,914,800%)
- Vietnam: $28.9 million (down -19.6%)
- Peru: $12.3 million (no 2015 data)
- Austria: $11.4 million (no 2015 data)
- Switzerland: $3.9 million (no 2015 data)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.998% of coal imported by South Korea in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of coal to South Korea since 2015 were: New Zealand (up 3,914,800%), Colombia (up 14,525%), South Africa (up 2,810%) and Mozambique (up 2,209%).
Vietnam was the sole top supplier to experience a decline in the value of its coal supplied to South Korean importers via a -19.6% reduction.
Overall, the value of South Korea’s imported coal increased by an average 42.9% from all supplying countries since 2015 when coal purchased cost $9.9 billion.
Searchable List of Coal Importing Countries in 2019
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. The right-most column highlights the percentage change in value from 2018 to 2019. An entry of 0% in that column means that no value for 2018 was available.
| Rank | Importer | Coal Imports (US$) | 2018-19 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Japan | $23,255,304,000 | -8.4% | |
| 2. | India | $23,049,175,000 | -6.5% | |
| 3. | China | $18,929,930,000 | -3.4% | |
| 4. | South Korea | $14,096,727,000 | -14.8% | |
| 5. | Taiwan | $6,979,947,000 | -13.5% | |
| 6. | Germany | $4,519,503,000 | -20.8% | |
| 7. | Netherlands | $4,443,877,000 | -24.2% | |
| 8. | Turkey | $3,603,215,000 | -17.9% | |
| 9. | Malaysia | $2,915,664,000 | -8.8% | |
| 10. | Brazil | $2,883,372,000 | -14.8% | |
| 11. | Vietnam | $2,238,039,000 | +0.3% | |
| 12. | Philippines | $1,861,890,000 | +0.7% | |
| 13. | Poland | $1,737,150,000 | -22.4% | |
| 14. | France | $1,643,306,000 | -19.9% | |
| 15. | Ukraine | $1,538,720,000 | -49.3% | |
| 16. | Thailand | $1,438,487,000 | -12.6% | |
| 17. | Italy | $1,218,414,000 | -33.2% | |
| 18. | Chile | $860,745,000 | -26.0% | |
| 19. | Belgium | $829,876,000 | -12.2% | |
| 20. | Spain | $816,408,000 | -49.9% | |
| 21. | Morocco | $807,519,000 | +8.5% | |
| 22. | Pakistan | $781,094,000 | -51.9% | |
| 23. | United Kingdom | $749,980,000 | -40.7% | |
| 24. | Canada | $747,042,000 | -6.1% | |
| 25. | Indonesia | $706,278,000 | -21.5% | |
| 26. | Hong Kong | $684,255,000 | -27.8% | |
| 27. | Austria | $650,959,000 | +6.7% | |
| 28. | Israel | $617,682,000 | -17.9% | |
| 29. | United States | $561,710,000 | +9.2% | |
| 30. | Czech Republic | $535,572,000 | -3.2% | |
| 31. | Slovakia | $533,434,000 | -16.6% | |
| 32. | South Africa | $451,910,000 | -17% | |
| 33. | Sweden | $446,370,000 | -14.1% | |
| 34. | Egypt | $398,033,000 | +13.6% | |
| 35. | Finland | $376,353,000 | -35.8% | |
| 36. | Russia | $367,624,000 | -8.6% | |
| 37. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $303,008,000 | -0.1% | |
| 38. | Guatemala | $288,081,000 | +11.2% | |
| 39. | Hungary | $271,456,000 | -4.5% | |
| 40. | Mexico | $250,800,000 | -72.9% | |
| 41. | Portugal | $193,744,000 | -52.1% | |
| 42. | Belarus | $181,715,000 | +69.5% | |
| 43. | Argentina | $143,982,000 | -50.4% | |
| 44. | United Arab Emirates | $131,097,000 | -58.7% | |
| 45. | Sri Lanka | $126,353,000 | -28.4% | |
| 46. | New Caledonia | $123,456,000 | -4.5% | |
| 47. | Romania | $122,308,000 | -0.9% | |
| 48. | Kazakhstan | $87,567,000 | +8.1% | |
| 49. | Bulgaria | $81,872,000 | -22.4% | |
| 50. | Dominican Republic | $79,850,000 | -33.1% | |
| 51. | Norway | $76,354,000 | +8.2% | |
| 52. | Senegal | $74,494,000 | -21.8% | |
| 53. | Bangladesh | $71,780,000 | -70.9% | |
| 54. | Nepal | $71,509,000 | +52.5% | |
| 55. | Ireland | $69,982,000 | -64.9% | |
| 56. | Trinidad/Tobago | $67,596,000 | +28.2% | |
| 57. | Mauritius | $66,029,000 | -12.4% | |
| 58. | Croatia | $55,074,000 | -6.3% | |
| 59. | Singapore | $46,012,000 | -19.6% | |
| 60. | Madagascar | $43,061,000 | -8.7% | |
| 61. | Peru | $42,754,000 | +12.5% | |
| 62. | Djibouti | $41,383,000 | -54.5% | |
| 63. | Saudi Arabia | $39,323,000 | +20.8% | |
| 64. | Kenya | $38,383,000 | -47.4% | |
| 65. | Australia | $35,915,000 | +77.9% | |
| 66. | Yemen | $34,552,000 | -21.2% | |
| 67. | Serbia | $32,936,000 | -12.3% | |
| 68. | Greece | $29,445,000 | -39.9% | |
| 69. | Lithuania | $29,019,000 | -12.3% | |
| 70. | Iceland | $25,155,000 | -18.5% | |
| 71. | Georgia | $25,061,000 | -55.8% | |
| 72. | North Macedonia | $24,648,000 | -1.2% | |
| 73. | Togo | $20,210,000 | -8.7% | |
| 74. | Lebanon | $18,676,000 | +112.6% | |
| 75. | Moldova | $18,401,000 | +7.9% | |
| 76. | Uzbekistan | $17,747,000 | +9.5% | |
| 77. | Myanmar (Burma) | $16,432,000 | -66.5% | |
| 78. | Kuwait | $15,243,000 | -70.7% | |
| 79. | Congo | $13,020,000 | -29.8% | |
| 80. | New Zealand | $12,844,000 | +36.4% | |
| 81. | Honduras | $10,191,000 | 0% | |
| 82. | Guyana | $10,069,000 | +503,350% | |
| 83. | Kyrgyzstan | $9,807,000 | -44.4% | |
| 84. | Eswatini | $9,408,000 | +3.9% | |
| 85. | Benin | $9,115,000 | -34.2% | |
| 86. | Namibia | $8,974,000 | +35.6% | |
| 87. | Cambodia | $8,722,000 | -93.9% | |
| 88. | Colombia | $8,140,000 | +3,335% | |
| 89. | Oman | $7,552,000 | -63.2% | |
| 90. | Jamaica | $7,540,000 | +193.5% | |
| 91. | Latvia | $7,300,000 | -4.5% | |
| 92. | Luxembourg | $6,557,000 | +28.1% | |
| 93. | Nigeria | $5,999,000 | -3.5% | |
| 94. | Switzerland | $5,666,000 | +28.1% | |
| 95. | Angola | $5,480,000 | -73.9% | |
| 96. | Ghana | $5,217,000 | -15.9% | |
| 97. | Zambia | $5,063,000 | -21.9% | |
| 98. | Albania | $4,500,000 | 0% | |
| 99. | Slovenia | $3,653,000 | +4.5% | |
| 100. | Democratic Rep. Congo | $3,398,000 | -9.6% | |
| 101. | Algeria | $2,929,000 | +16.5% | |
| 102. | Lesotho | $2,903,000 | -25% | |
| 103. | Mauritania | $2,788,000 | 0% | |
| 104. | Cyprus | $2,536,000 | +5.5% | |
| 105. | Mozambique | $2,506,000 | -13.8% | |
| 106. | Bhutan | $2,450,000 | -62.3% | |
| 107. | Iraq | $2,431,000 | +70.8% | |
| 108. | Bahrain | $2,423,000 | -55.3% | |
| 109. | Jordan | $2,301,000 | -89.7% | |
| 110. | Azerbaijan | $2,296,000 | +517.2% | |
| 111. | Venezuela | $2,114,000 | +71.9% | |
| 112. | Guinea | $1,925,000 | 0% | |
| 113. | Ecuador | $1,819,000 | -68.5% | |
| 114. | Tajikistan | $1,459,000 | +76.4% | |
| 115. | Estonia | $1,395,000 | -65.3% | |
| 116. | Laos | $1,370,000 | -94.8% | |
| 117. | Malawi | $1,340,000 | -71.7% | |
| 118. | Qatar | $1,338,000 | -92.9% | |
| 119. | Niger | $1,283,000 | +21,283% | |
| 120. | Cuba | $1,036,000 | -33.4% | |
| 121. | Bolivia | $992,000 | -7% | |
| 122. | El Salvador | $981,000 | +28.4% | |
| 123. | Libya | $827,000 | +68.8% | |
| 124. | Zimbabwe | $743,000 | -71.4% | |
| 125. | Syria | $673,000 | -55.7% | |
| 126. | Armenia | $654,000 | +104.4% | |
| 127. | Panama | $327,000 | -99.3% | |
| 128. | Paraguay | $302,000 | -69.6% | |
| 129. | Tunisia | $259,000 | -57.4% | |
| 130. | Botswana | $237,000 | -2.1% | |
| 131. | Tanzania | $112,000 | +330.8% | |
| 132. | Montenegro | $74,000 | -61.1% | |
| 133. | Seychelles | $70,000 | -67.3% | |
| 134. | Costa Rica | $44,000 | -20% | |
| 135. | Barbados | $38,000 | -35.6% | |
| 136. | Ethiopia | $37,000 | -67.8% | |
| 137. | Belize | $31,000 | 0% | |
| 138. | Bahamas | $27,000 | -80.6% | |
| 139. | Timor-Leste | $24,000 | 0% | |
| 140. | Afghanistan | $22,000 | 0% | |
| 141. | Mongolia | $22,000 | -48.8% | |
| 142. | Denmark | $20,000 | -98.3% | |
| 143. | Brunei Darussalam | $18,000 | -99% | |
| 144. | Malta | $16,000 | 0% | |
| 145. | Curaçao | $14,000 | +600% | |
| 146. | Bermuda | $14,000 | -62.2% | |
| 147. | Papua New Guinea | $12,000 | -98.7% | |
| 148. | Aruba | $9,000 | +125% | |
| 149. | Grenada | $9,000 | 0% | |
| 150. | Equatorial Guinea | $9,000 | -82.4% | |
| 151. | Burkina Faso | $8,000 | +300% | |
| 152. | Suriname | $7,000 | 0% | |
| 153. | Maldives | $7,000 | +133.3% | |
| 154. | Nicaragua | $6,000 | +50% | |
| 155. | Cayman Islands | $6,000 | 0% | |
| 156. | Turkmenistan | $6,000 | -68.4% | |
| 157. | Saint Kitts/Nevis | $5,000 | 0% | |
| 158. | Sudan | $3,000 | -99.9% | |
| 159. | Antigua/Barbuda | $3,000 | +50% | |
| 160. | Ivory Coast | $2,000 | 0% | |
| 161. | Sierra Leone | $2,000 | 0% | |
| 162. | Uruguay | $2,000 | -84.6% | |
| 163. | Iran | $1,000 | -100% | |
| 164. | Cameroon | $1,000 | -99.8% |
See also Coal Exports by Country, Japan’s Top Trading Partners and Japan’s Top 10 Imports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 4, 2020
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 4, 2020
Wikipedia, Coal. Accessed on May 4, 2020