Based on a comparison of 27 countries in 2017, China ranked the highest in electricity production from coal sources with 4,360,863 GWh followed by USA and India. On the other end of the scale was Iran with 462 GWh, Argentina with 1,733 GWh and United Kingdom with 22,580 GWh.
Total electricity production from coal sources reached 9,723,438 GWh in 2017 in the World according to World Bank / EIA. This is 2.8 % more than in the previous year and 15.1 % more than 10 years ago.
Historically, total electricity production from coal sources reached an all time high of 9,723,438 GWh in 2017 and an all time low of 803,767 GWh in 1960. The average annual growth amounted to 4.47 % since 1960.
The top ranked country, China, accounted for 44.8 % of electricity production from coal sources in the world. The top 3 countries hold a 70.1 % share while the ten largest countries some 85.9 % in 2017.
Data for more countries are available at Electricity Production from Coal Sources indicator page.
Electricity Production from Coal Sources | Unit | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Australia | GWh | 171,985 | 165,384 | 155,447 | 155,229 | 160,850 | ||||||||||||||||
Canada | GWh | 77,623 | 67,490 | 68,593 | 68,451 | 68,097 | ||||||||||||||||
China | GWh | 3,695,410 | 3,755,839 | 4,074,171 | 4,070,941 | 4,042,505 | ||||||||||||||||
Germany | GWh | 262,470 | 277,127 | 288,206 | 274,410 | 272,200 | ||||||||||||||||
India | GWh | 701,255 | 787,130 | 847,969 | 949,931 | 1,006,555 | ||||||||||||||||
Indonesia | GWh | 81,090 | 102,166 | 111,252 | 119,532 | 124,657 | ||||||||||||||||
Japan | GWh | 281,577 | 330,798 | 359,246 | 353,086 | 346,687 | ||||||||||||||||
Poland | GWh | 141,571 | 136,416 | 139,758 | 131,551 | 132,962 | ||||||||||||||||
Russia | GWh | 165,011 | 169,163 | 161,872 | 158,702 | 158,552 | ||||||||||||||||
South Africa | GWh | 241,494 | 236,715 | 230,688 | 226,639 | 220,037 | ||||||||||||||||
South Korea | GWh | 227,517 | 228,168 | 228,967 | 217,183 | 225,726 | ||||||||||||||||
Taiwan | GWh | 124,759 | 122,709 | 121,272 | 121,998 | 115,884 | ||||||||||||||||
Turkey | GWh | 66,218 | 68,013 | 63,786 | 76,263 | 76,166 | ||||||||||||||||
USA | GWh | 1,876,340 | 1,640,796 | 1,713,944 | 1,713,690 | 1,468,296 | ||||||||||||||||
Vietnam | GWh | 20,358 | 21,383 | 24,732 | 35,602 | 52,798 |