5 Largest Coal Producing Countries in the World

1. China 

Average Annual Coal Production: 4,195 million metric tons

China’s coal output has been consistently increasing since 2016 and reached a record high of 4,560 million metric tons in 2022, representing a 10.5% increase from 2021. This surge was primarily driven by the government’s directives aimed at strengthening energy security and addressing power shortages. However, this period also witnessed a rise in mining incidents, posing significant challenges to safety standards within the industry.

In response to a series of fatal accidents in coal mines, the central government implemented stringent safety checks. These measures were a response to the alarming number of miner fatalities, which had reached at least 160 by September 2023, according to S&P Global. As a result, major coal-producing regions such as Shanxi and Shaanxi were instructed to undertake comprehensive safety inspections, leading to a temporary suspension of some mining operations in these areas. Despite these safety-related challenges, the early months of 2023 saw a 5.8% increase in coal production compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, as reported by Reuters.

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