The world’s nations held a combined 35,218 tonnes of gold reserves as of February 2021, up from 34,700 tonnes the year before. Countries hold gold reserves to support their currency in cases of hyperinflation or other economic crises.
Though holding gold reserves is a luxury every nation would like to afford, less than 100 countries have substantial gold reserves. Just five countries hold the majority of the 35,000 tonnes of the world’s gold reserves. Only 34 nations have over 100 tonnes of gold reserves on hand.
To determine the countries that control the world’s gold, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on gold reserves by country in tonnes (metric tons) as of February 2021 from the World Gold Council.
Unsurprisingly, many of the countries on this list rank as the wealthiest in the world. These are the richest counties in the world.
Click here to see the countries that control the world’s gold.
Click here to see our detailed methodology.
Source: tichr / iStock via Getty Images
34. Romania
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 103.6 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $6.4 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 12.0%
> GDP: $580.4 billion ($29,984 per capita)
> Population: 19.4 million
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Source: Mlenny / Getty Images
33. South Korea
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 104.4 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $6.4 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 1.3%
> GDP: $2.2 trillion ($42,879 per capita)
> Population: 51.7 million
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Source: MartinM303 / Getty Images
32. Greece
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 113.9 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $7.0 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 57.8%
> GDP: $326.5 billion ($30,465 per capita)
> Population: 10.7 million
Source: Noctiluxx / Getty Images
31. Libya
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 116.6 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $7.2 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 8.2%
> GDP: $102.8 billion ($15,174 per capita)
> Population: 6.8 million
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Source: Torresigner / Getty Images
30. Mexico
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 119.9 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $7.4 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 3.4%
> GDP: $2.5 trillion ($19,766 per capita)
> Population: 127.6 million
Source: Ben1183 / Getty Images
29. South Africa
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 125.3 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $7.7 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 13.1%
> GDP: $730.9 billion ($12,482 per capita)
> Population: 58.6 million
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Source: scanrail / Getty Images
28. Sweden
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 125.7 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $7.7 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 12.9%
> GDP: $541.1 billion ($52,609 per capita)
> Population: 10.3 million
Source: orpheus26 / Getty Images
27. Singapore
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 127.4 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $7.8 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 1.9%
> GDP: $555.2 billion ($97,341 per capita)
> Population: 5.7 million
Source: Deejpilot / E+ via Getty Images
26. Thailand
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 154.0 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $9.5 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 3.4%
> GDP: $1.3 trillion ($18,460 per capita)
> Population: 69.6 million
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Source: DouglasOlivares / Getty Images
25. Venezuela
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 161.2 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $9.9 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 82.4%
> GDP: $ ($00 per capita)
> Population: 28.5 million
Source: Leonid Andronov / Getty Images
24. Algeria
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 173.6 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $10.7 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 17.0%
> GDP: $495.6 billion ($11,511 per capita)
> Population: 43.1 million
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Source: holgs / Getty Images
23. Philippines
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 179.5 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $11.0 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 9.3%
> GDP: $963.1 billion ($8,908 per capita)
> Population: 108.1 million
Source: orpheus26 / Getty Images
22. Belgium
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 227.4 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $14.0 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 40.2%
> GDP: $596.2 billion ($51,915 per capita)
> Population: 11.5 million
Source: Xantana / Getty Images
21. Poland
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 228.7 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $14.1 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 7.8%
> GDP: $1.3 trillion ($33,222 per capita)
> Population: 38.0 million
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Source: Mustang_79 / Getty Images
20. Austria
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 280.0 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $17.2 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 55.2%
> GDP: $497.4 billion ($56,030 per capita)
> Population: 8.9 million
Source: KavalenkavaVolha / Getty Images
19. Spain
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 281.6 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $17.3 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 19.9%
> GDP: $1.9 trillion ($40,986 per capita)
> Population: 47.1 million
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Source: ramzihachicho / Getty Images
18. Lebanon
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 286.8 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $17.6 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 39.1%
> GDP: $99.8 billion ($14,552 per capita)
> Population: 6.9 million
Source: ZoltanGabor / iStock via Getty Images
17. United Kingdom
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 310.3 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $19.1 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 10.2%
> GDP: $3.1 trillion ($46,704 per capita)
> Population: 66.8 million
Source: HansMusa / Getty Images
16. Saudi Arabia
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 323.1 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $19.9 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 3.9%
> GDP: $1.6 trillion ($46,962 per capita)
> Population: 34.3 million
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Source: Lukas Bischoff / iStock via Getty Images
15. Uzbekistan
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 347.7 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $21.4 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 59.0%
> GDP: $235.0 billion ($6,999 per capita)
> Population: 33.6 million
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
14. Portugal
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 382.6 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $23.5 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 80.1%
> GDP: $359.0 billion ($34,962 per capita)
> Population: 10.3 million
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Source: Ozbalci / Getty Images
13. Kazakhstan
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 392.3 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $24.1 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 63.8%
> GDP: $487.9 billion ($26,351 per capita)
> Population: 18.5 million
Source: GoranQ / Getty Images
12. Taiwan
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 423.6 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $26.0 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 4.2%
> GDP: $674.6 billion ($25,941 per capita)
> Population: 23.6 million
Source: Seqoya / Getty Images
11. Turkey
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 515.2 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $31.7 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 35.3%
> GDP: $2.4 trillion ($28,289 per capita)
> Population: 83.4 million
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Source: Noppasin Wongchum / Getty Images
10. Netherlands
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 612.5 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $37.7 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 67.4%
> GDP: $985.4 billion ($56,849 per capita)
> Population: 17.3 million
Source: narvikk / Getty Images
9. India
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 687.8 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $42.3 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 6.5%
> GDP: $9.2 trillion ($6,700 per capita)
> Population: 1.4 billion
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Source: yongyuan / Getty Images
8. Japan
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 765.2 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $47.0 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 3.1%
> GDP: $5.3 trillion ($41,667 per capita)
> Population: 126.3 million
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Source: AleksandarGeorgiev / Getty Images
7. Switzerland
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 1040.0 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $63.9 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 5.4%
> GDP: $586.5 billion ($68,394 per capita)
> Population: 8.6 million
Source: aphotostory / Getty Images
6. China
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 1948.3 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $119.8 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 3.3%
> GDP: $22.5 trillion ($16,092 per capita)
> Population: 1.4 billion
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Source: Skadr / iStock via Getty Images
5. Russia
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 2295.4 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $141.1 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 22.0%
> GDP: $4.0 trillion ($27,044 per capita)
> Population: 144.4 million
Source: matthewleesdixon / Getty Images
4. France
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 2436.3 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $149.8 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 64.5%
> GDP: $3.1 trillion ($46,110 per capita)
> Population: 67.1 million
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Source: Eva-Katalin / Getty Images
3. Italy
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 2451.8 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $150.7 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 69.3%
> GDP: $2.6 trillion ($42,420 per capita)
> Population: 60.3 million
Source: bluejayphoto / Getty Images
2. Germany
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 3362.4 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $206.7 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 74.5%
> GDP: $4.5 trillion ($53,785 per capita)
> Population: 83.1 million
Source: pierre9x6 / Flickr
1. United States
> Gold reserves as of Feb. 2021: 8133.5 tonnes
> Value in U.S. dollars: $500.0 billion
> Gold as % of total foreign exchange reserves: 77.5%
> GDP: $20.5 trillion ($62,530 per capita)
> Population: 328.2 million
Methodology:
To determine the countries that control the world’s gold, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on national gold reserves from the World Gold Council. Countries were ranked based on the total tonnage (metric tons) of gold reported to the International Monetary Fund as of February 2021. We calculated the value of each country’s gold reserves in U.S. dollars using the gold price per ounce as of February 2021 of $1,742.85 from the ICE Benchmark Administration. Data on gold as a percentage of a country’s total foreign international reserves also came from the WGC and is current as of February 2021. Supplemental data on population, GDP, and GDP per capita came from the World Bank and are for 2019. GDP and GDP per capita figures are based on purchasing power parity and are in constant 2017 international dollars. Data on population, GDP, and GDP per capita for Taiwan came from the National Statistics Bureau of Taiwan.
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