Year over year, exports of coal by shipment weight fell by -18.9% compared to 1.25 billion tons for 2021.
The world’s top exporters of coal ranked by total shipment weight are Indonesia, Australia, United States of America, South Africa, Canada and Mongolia. Collectively, those 6 leading coal suppliers sold 915 million tons of coal during 2021 or a dominant 90.2% of the global total.
This analysis will investigate whether higher volumes of coal exports correspond with lower average unit prices due to economies of scale.
Top Coal Export Countries by Shipment Weight
The top 50 exporters of coal as measured by tonnage are listed in the database below. As measured by weight, these key suppliers of coal on international markets accounted for 99.987% of globally exported coal in 2022.
| Coal Exporter | Tons | 2021-2 | 2018-22 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indonesia | 360,285,221 | +4.3% | +5% |
| 2 | Australia | 338,427,476 | -7.7% | -11.5% |
| 3 | United States | 76,872,567 | -0.4% | -26.9% |
| 4 | South Africa | 71,433,832 | +7.8% | -12.1% |
| 5 | Canada | 36,297,872 | +14.7% | +7.7% |
| 6 | Mongolia | 31,677,154 | +101.7% | -11.4% |
| 7 | Kazakhstan | 29,483,503 | +2.6% | +26.1% |
| 8 | Mozambique | 21,466,826 | +59% | +46.3% |
| 9 | Philippines | 7,764,985 | -26.7% | +42% |
| 10 | Colombia | 7,305,135 | -86.9% | -91.3% |
| 11 | Poland | 5,544,829 | -14.9% | +12% |
| 12 | China | 3,995,671 | +53.8% | -18.9% |
| 13 | Afghanistan | 3,681,473 | +189.7% | +229.7% |
| 14 | Belgium | 2,437,472 | +30% | +46.5% |
| 15 | United Arab Emirates | 2,098,959 | +210428% | +553715% |
| 16 | Tanzania | 1,406,974 | 0% | +1345% |
| 17 | Vietnam | 1,262,639 | 0% | -27.6% |
| 18 | India | 1,232,825 | +39.9% | +21.5% |
| 19 | Türkiye | 1,187,943 | +1321% | +1293% |
| 20 | Peru | 1,119,430 | +36.1% | +77.8% |
| 21 | Botswana | 1,004,160 | +73.1% | +563.5% |
| 22 | Germany | 962,622 | +2.4% | +374.4% |
| 23 | Czech Republic | 921,806 | -34.4% | -52.2% |
| 24 | Ukraine | 718,061 | +14310% | +1026% |
| 25 | Kyrgyzstan | 702,230 | +37.2% | +78% |
| 26 | United Kingdom | 610,865 | -46.1% | -9.8% |
| 27 | Zimbabwe | 585,813 | +82.4% | +447.9% |
| 28 | Tajikistan | 373,914 | +1004% | +762.7% |
| 29 | Iran | 371,406 | +148.6% | +61.6% |
| 30 | Brazil | 306,173 | +53333% | +43023% |
| 31 | Eswatini | 292,381 | +63.9% | +102.5% |
| 32 | Lithuania | 224,186 | +210.3% | +119.5% |
| 33 | Namibia | 195,989 | +10639% | +23599% |
| 34 | Nigeria | 194,040 | +213.1% | +72303% |
| 35 | Thailand | 185,581 | +22.1% | +120.4% |
| 36 | Venezuela | 184,620 | -53.2% | +111.8% |
| 37 | Malaysia | 172,163 | +19% | -68.1% |
| 38 | New Zealand | 162,901 | +83% | +213.9% |
| 39 | France | 155,158 | -70.9% | +803.9% |
| 40 | Zambia | 125,118 | +28.2% | +4498% |
| 41 | Ireland | 119,553 | -17.3% | -8.1% |
| 42 | Egypt | 104,431 | +75.7% | -33.3% |
| 43 | Saudi Arabia | 80,045 | 0% | +105222% |
| 44 | Croatia | 61,358 | +51.3% | -48.1% |
| 45 | Latvia | 55,607 | +447.9% | +345.8% |
| 46 | Bulgaria | 52,174 | +2098% | +259% |
| 47 | Slovakia | 48,204 | -27.8% | -66.9% |
| 48 | Laos | 46,668 | -87.8% | -38.3% |
| 49 | Uzbekistan | 39,311 | +5278% | 0% |
| 50 | Greece | 30,507 | -20.6% | +59.4% |
Among these top 50 coal exporters, the fastest growing suppliers from 2021 to 2022 are the United Arab Emirates (up 210,428%), Brazil (up 53,333%), Ukraine (up 14,310%), Namibia (up 10,639%), Uzbekistan (up 5,278%), Bulgaria (up 2,098%), Türkiye (up 1,321%) and Tajikistan (up 1,004%).
Posting the severest declines in tons of exported coal from year to year were Laos (down -87.8% from 2021), Colombia (down -86.9%), France (down -70.9%), Venezuela (down -53.2%), United Kingdom (down -46.1%), Czech Republic (down -34.4%), Slovakia (down -27.8%) and the Philippines (down -26.7%).
Searchable List of Average Unit Prices for Exported Coal
In 2022, the world’s average unit price for exported coal equals US$235 per ton. That average dollar amount results from a 152.3% acceleration compared to $93 per ton for 2018, and a 137% uptick from $99 per ton in 2021.
The automated table below enables you to compare the average unit prices for exported coal applicable to 50 of the world’s biggest exporters of coal by weight. Average prices shown are in US dollars.
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns in the data table.
The right-most columns highlight the change in unit price for each supplier’s globally exported coal in 2021 compared to 2022 or 5 years earlier in 2018. (A value of 0% in that column means data for that year was unavailable.)
| Coal Exporter | Avg Price | 2021-2 | 2018-22 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indonesia | $130 | +68.8% | +116.7% |
| 2 | Australia | $246 | +105% | +98.4% |
| 3 | United States | $225 | +78.6% | +95.7% |
| 4 | South Africa | $182 | +97.8% | +133.3% |
| 5 | Canada | $297 | +54.7% | +72.7% |
| 6 | Mongolia | $206 | +17% | +164.1% |
| 7 | Kazakhstan | $32 | +88.2% | +77.8% |
| 8 | Mozambique | $95 | +18.8% | +82.7% |
| 9 | Philippines | $114 | +103.6% | +123.5% |
| 10 | Colombia | $182 | +130.4% | +133.3% |
| 11 | Poland | $289 | +127.6% | +97.9% |
| 12 | China | $308 | +58.8% | +92.5% |
| 13 | Afghanistan | $110 | +25% | +37.5% |
| 14 | Belgium | $313 | +105.9% | +107.3% |
| 15 | United Arab Emirates | $244 | -29.5% | -70.5% |
| 16 | Tanzania | $114 | 0% | +178% |
| 17 | Vietnam | $361 | 0% | +97.3% |
| 18 | India | $147 | +32.4% | +59.8% |
| 19 | Türkiye | $236 | +53.2% | +98.3% |
| 20 | Peru | $175 | +136.5% | +143.1% |
| 21 | Botswana | $52 | +10.6% | -26.8% |
| 22 | Germany | $290 | +111.7% | +29.5% |
| 23 | Czech Republic | $323 | +79.4% | +112.5% |
| 24 | Ukraine | $302 | +87.6% | +122.1% |
| 25 | Kyrgyzstan | $38 | +26.7% | +35.7% |
| 26 | United Kingdom | $355 | +139.9% | +94% |
| 27 | Zimbabwe | $137 | +407.4% | +291.4% |
| 28 | Tajikistan | $26 | +44.4% | +18.2% |
| 29 | Iran | $120 | +185.7% | +114.3% |
| 30 | Brazil | $288 | -40.6% | -41.9% |
| 31 | Eswatini | $194 | +41.6% | +49.2% |
| 32 | Lithuania | $228 | +83.9% | +107.3% |
| 33 | Namibia | $114 | -50% | -57.1% |
| 34 | Nigeria | $72 | +5.9% | -96.3% |
| 35 | Thailand | $195 | +40.3% | +6.6% |
| 36 | Venezuela | $223 | +108.4% | +72.9% |
| 37 | Malaysia | $73 | -2.7% | +40.4% |
| 38 | New Zealand | $241 | +109.6% | +412.8% |
| 39 | France | $333 | +43.5% | +28.6% |
| 40 | Zambia | $78 | -22.8% | -45.1% |
| 41 | Ireland | $447 | +58.5% | +69.3% |
| 42 | Egypt | $383 | +40.3% | +109.3% |
| 43 | Saudi Arabia | $209 | 0% | -87.2% |
| 44 | Croatia | $396 | +92.2% | +150.6% |
| 45 | Latvia | $292 | +72.8% | +156.1% |
| 46 | Bulgaria | $275 | +79.7% | +120% |
| 47 | Slovakia | $507 | +112.1% | +213% |
| 48 | Laos | $191 | +478.8% | +22.4% |
| 49 | Uzbekistan | $67 | +31.4% | 0% |
| 50 | Greece | $276 | +100% | +94.4% |
The lowest average unit prices for exported coal per ton are charged by international suppliers in Tajikistan (US$26 per ton), Kazakhstan ($36), Kyrgyzstan ($38), Botswana ($52), Uzbekistan ($67), Nigeria ($72) then Malaysia ($73).
The greatest inflation rates were characteristic of the average unit prices for coal exported from Laos (up 478.8% since 2021), Zimbabwe (up 407.4%), Iran (up 185.7%), United Kingdom (up 139.9%), Peru (up 136.5%), Colombia (up 130.4%) and Poland (up 126.7%).
Year over year, average unit prices per ton declined by double-digit reductions for coal shippers in Namibia (down -50% from 2021), Brazil (down -40.6%), United Arab Emirates (down -29.5%) and Zambia (down -22.8%).
Average Unit Prices for Top 10 Coal Exporters by Weight
Below are the 10 major exporters of coal by shipment weight, showcasing each country’s corresponding average unit price per ton of globally exported coal in US dollars.
These key suppliers sold 96% of overall coal exports by weight in 2022 and are listed in descending rank starting with the biggest coal exporters.
- Indonesia: US$130 in 2022 (up 68.8% from 2021)
- Australia: $246 (up 105%)
- United States: $225 (up 78.6%)
- South Africa: $182 (up 97.8%)
- Canada: $297 (up 54.7%)
- Mongolia: $206 (up 17%)
- Kazakhstan: $32 (up 88.2%)
- Mozambique: $95 (up 18.8%)
- Philippines: $114 (up 103.6%)
- Colombia: $182 (up 130.4%)
Among the top 10 coal suppliers by weight, Canada and Australia charged average unit prices higher than the global average of $235 per ton for all coal exporters.
Those two anomalies suggest that economies of scale for the world’s 10 biggest exporters of coal does not necessarily lead to the lowest average unit prices specific to coal exporting countries.
Major Coal Importing Countries by Quantity
The top 10 coal importers measured by shipment tonnage accounted for 90.6% of globally imported coal bought during 2022.
- Sri Lanka: 1.7 billion tons (58.6% of global coal imports)
- India: 234.1 million tons (8%)
- Japan: 183.1 million tons (6.3%)
- China: 162.7 million tons (5.6%)
- South Korea: 125.2 million tons (4.3%)
- Taiwan: 80.4 million tons (2.8%%)
- Germany: 42.3 million tons (1.5%)
- Türkiye: 36.8 million tons (1.3%)
- Malaysia: 34.5 million tons (1.2%)
- Philippines: 31.5 million tons (1.1%)
Nine of the 10 biggest importing countries by imported coal volume are in Asia—geographically close to some of the lowest-cost coal exporters. For instance, one coal exporter offering among the lowest unit prices per ton is Tajikistan located in Central Asia.
Other Asian countries placing near the top of the list for the cheapest unit costs among coal suppliers are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Malaysia.
See also Coal Exports by Country (dollar value), Coal Imports by Country (dollar value), Crude Oil Exports by Country, Petroleum Gas Exports by Country, Best Solar & Wind Exporters Powering International Energy Sales and OPEC Countries Crude Oil Exports Sales Data
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on October 26, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 26, 2023
Wikipedia, Category: Coal companies by country. Accessed on October 26, 2023
Wikipedia, Coal. Accessed on October 26, 2023