Countries ranked by coal share of electricity
Botswana ranks first with 98.3%, ahead of Mongolia (85.8%) and South Africa (81.4%). The world figure is 33%. 81 countries ranked, latest data 2025.
Coal is the most carbon-intensive way to make electricity, emitting roughly 820–1,000 g CO₂ per kWh over its life cycle. This ranking shows the share of each country's electricity generated from hard coal and lignite.
Countries at the top typically have large domestic coal reserves (South Africa, Poland, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia); many European countries have already phased coal out or set end dates.
Ranking rule. Countries and territories that generate less than 1 TWh of electricity a year (mostly small islands) are left out, because one diesel generator or one solar farm can swing their shares by tens of points. Values older than 2020 are also excluded.
Full ranking
Leaders by continent
Africa
- Botswana98.3%
- South Africa81.4%
- Morocco61.5%
Europe
- Serbia65%
- Bosnia and Herzegovina55.4%
- Poland50.4%
North America
- Dominican Republic29.1%
- Puerto Rico16.5%
- United States16.3%
Oceania
- Australia42.7%
- New Caledonia36.5%
- New Zealand1.1%
Coal share: frequently asked questions
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Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries