Special Report

Countries That Control the World’s Gold

hayatikayhan / Getty Images

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.

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

[in-text-ad]

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

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

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

[in-text-ad-2]

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

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

[in-text-ad]

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

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

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

[in-text-ad-2]

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

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

[in-text-ad]

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

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

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

[in-text-ad-2]

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

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

[in-text-ad]

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

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

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

[in-text-ad-2]

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

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

[in-text-ad]

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

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

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

[in-text-ad-2]

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

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

[in-text-ad]

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

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

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

[in-text-ad-2]

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

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

[in-text-ad]

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

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

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.

The #1 Thing to Do Before You Claim Social Security (Sponsor)

Choosing the right (or wrong) time to claim Social Security can dramatically change your retirement. So, before making one of the biggest decisions of your financial life, it’s a smart idea to get an extra set of eyes on your complete financial situation.

A financial advisor can help you decide the right Social Security option for you and your family. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.

Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you optimize your Social Security outcomes.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.