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44 Coal
United States is exporting pollution by sending this “dirty fuel” to other nations where
environmental laws are less strict. Supporters of coal, meanwhile, argue that it is a vast
and valuable North American natural resource and that the coal industry should be
allowed to evolve new methods and technologies.
Top 10 Coal-Producing Nations
The top nations for coal production, with annual production amounts, are as
follows (annual amounts are averaged over recent years):
• China: 3,000 million tons (2,700 million metric tons)
• United States: 1,000 million tons (900 million metric tons)
• India: 600 million tons (540 million metric tons)
• Australia: 410 million tons (370 million metric tons)
• Russia: 310 million tons (280 million metric tons)
• Indonesia: 270 million tons (245 million metric tons)
• South Africa: 270 million tons (245 million metric tons)
• Poland: 150 million tons (135 million metric tons)
• Kazakhstan: 110 million tons (99 million metric tons)
• Colombia: 85 million tons (77 million metric tons)