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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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How much coal does the United States export and to where?

In 2021, the United States exported about 85 million short tons of coal to 83 countries.1 About 53% of total coal exports in 2021 were metallurgical coal and 47% were steam coal.

U.S. coal exports—total and by top five destination countries in 2021
Million short tons Percentage of total coal exports
Total, all countries85.21
Top five destination countries
India15.3618.0%
China12.8115.0%
Japan7.578.9%
The Netherlands7.148.4%
South Korea6.387.5%
Total for top five countries49.2557.8%
Note: The ports in The Netherlands are major sources for the transshipment of coal to other European nations. Therefore, a large portion of this volume may ultimately be consumed by other countries in Europe.

1 Includes Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. Preliminary data.

Learn more:
Quarterly Coal Report Table 7. U.S. Coal Exports
U.S. coal export data, annual and quarterly, by types of coal and destination countries
Energy Explained: Coal Imports and Exports

Last updated: April 12, 2022, with data from the Quarterly Coal Report, April 2022.


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