While the country with allegedly the most gold shouldnt be a surprise, some countries on the list might be. The table has current values for gold reserves, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency plus links to historical data charts. All the many historical examples of gold as money end badly. Although many of the nations listed above are now or soon will be members of the european union i listed them with russia because i believe their gold reserves are not in play for similar reasons. In the past, reserves were accumulated by rulers and governments primarily to meet the costs of waging war, and in most eras. The period itself has been dubbed by some commentators as the brown bottom or browns bottom.
Gold is an ally of aristocrats and an enemy of workers. Total gold reserves of federal reserve banks for united. Below is a list of the top 50 countries with the largest gold reserves as of january 30, 2018. One of the most sensitive secrets protected by the washington establishment is the massive cache of gold reserves held at the. With remarks on the bullion reserve and nonlegaltender note circulation of the united kingdom. Feb 10, 2020 this statistic illustrates the world mine reserves of gold as of 2019, by country. Gold is served as the basic value of exchange by countries over the years.
Some of the gold that was held in canada was turned into swiss francs during the war, also within the account were more than one hundred private gold deposits held in the bank of england account. Jul 18, 2011 the numbers are taken from the monthly report produced by the world gold council,which is the gold industrys key market development body. Gold reserves in metric tonnes by country 18451998. Belgian gold in foreign hands museum of the national bank. Gold reserves in metric tonnes by country 18451998 swcs. Euro area gold reserves 20002019 data 20202022 forecast. The gold reserve of the united kingdom is the amount of gold kept by bank of england as a. Germany is the runnerup when it comes to gold reserves. This statistic presents the gold reserves of largest gold holding countries worldwide as of december 2019.
Thats a pretty notable change, though the tally has held pretty steady at 2,435 metric tons for the last decade. With gold prices hitting a record high on wednesday, here are the 10 countries holding all the cards when it comes to gold reserves, according to the world gold council. In that year, the united states was estimated to have some three thousand metric tons of gold reserves in mines. Gold bullion vault periodic table of videos youtube. One third of it was transferred to the uk, another third found its way to the us and canada. The secret history of british intelligence in the americas, 19401945 stephenson, william samuel, west, nigel on. This post is a sequel to a first glance at us official gold reserves audits. The gold holdings kept in storage by the oenb comprise around 7,200 gold bars, while austrias total gold reserves of 280 tons correspond to some 22,400 gold. Heres a look at who holds the largest gold reserves and the amount of holdings. List of per capita official gold holdings the prudent investor. The sale of part of the uk gold reserves 19992002 gov. United kingdom gold reserves 20002019 data 20202022. Indias central bank had purchased about 200 tonnes of gold from the imf in 2009 and that was the biggest.
The central bank of the united states held approximately 8,3 metric tons of gold. Data learn how the world bank group is helping countries with covid19 coronavirus. You will find here below the latest values, and you can add the following graph into your website by inserting the html code located below the graph. May 26, 2016 below are the top 10 countries with the largest gold holdings, beginning with india. In just 18 years, then, the country has sold around 20% of its gold reserves. Most national central banks in europe hold a large amount of reserves in the form of foreign banknotes and deposits, treasury bills, gold, and other assets, which are called international reserves or foreignexchange reserves in popular usage, which, technically speaking, should only refer to reserves held in a foreign currency. What is not often covered in the media or blogosphere are the audits of the us official gold reserves stored at the us mint, which is the custodian for 95 % 7716 tonnes of the stash nowadays also referred to as custodial deep storage, and at the federal reserve bank of new york that safeguards the. Federal reserve banks, giving gold certificates of a new type and gold credits on its books in exchange. Over the past few days, news has emerged that russia boosted its gold reserves for the sixth straight month in september. Irans gold output is estimated to rise to 7 metric tons by 2017 which could significantly improve the countrys place among the. Here is a ranking of the top 6 countries with largest gold reserves in the. Gold reserve, a fund of gold bullion or coin held by a government or bank, as distinguished from a private hoard of gold held by an individual or nonfinancial institution. This statistic shows the gold reserves by country as of june 2019.
A history of gold from 3600 bc to the present day, from deep underground to outer space, gold has been a major factor in the worlds development and economy. Central bank gold reserves in ounces did not change in 2006 and stayed at 0. During most of history, a nations gold reserves were considered its key financial asset. Former british prime minister gordon brown has faced persistent criticism for disposing of almost 400 tons of the united kingdoms gold through a series of auctions between 1999 and 2002, when prices were at their lowest in around 20 years. Gold reserves of national central banks per capita in europe. Government owned gold reserve at the values stated in 31 usc 51165117 statutory rate which is. Back in 1999, the netherlands announced under the central bank gold agreement cbga1 that it would sell. Nearly 700 years before sweden issued the first european banknotes. Mar 26, 20 a survey of italian households and businesses had found that the vast majority want the beleagured eurozone nation to avoid selling its gold bullion to raise money. The evacuation of the stocks of gold went less smoothly than hoped for and part of the stocks was condemned to an odyssey. Second thoughts on us official gold reserves audits. Gold reserve, a fund of gold bullion or coin held by a government or bank, as distinguished from a private hoard of. War and gold takes off when the narrative reaches 1914, a time when most major economies were still tied to a gold standard, their currencies in some way pegged to. Bullion firm reveals that british holdings increased tenfold.
Germany and china hold the largest gold reserves in europe and asia, respectively. Beginning in 2010, central banks around the world turned from being net sellers of gold to net buyers of gold. To most, however, this yellow metal holds a very specific defined value. Operation fish was the world war ii evacuation of british wealth from the uk to canada. May 04, 2011 the continued run of the gold price is a global investment sensation.
Its no surprise that the bank of india has one of the largest. A gold reserve was the gold held by a national central bank, intended mainly as a guarantee to. This page provides values for gold reserves reported in several countries. Before the outbreak of the second world war belgiums gold reserves amounted to some 600 tonnes. In september 1939, the british government decreed that all people living in the uk had to declare their securities with the treasury. Gold reserves are countrys gold assets held or controlled by the central bank. More than half, however, back a proposal to use italys national gold reserves the third largest behind the united states and germany as collateral for raising cheaper finance on the bond markets. Britains gold reserves and how to divide them would be part of these negotiations. Worlds central bank gold reserves and interactive map gold news. Below is a list of the countries with the highest gold reserves. A look at central bank gold reserves gold antitrust action. The countries with the largest gold reserves telegraph.
Top 10 countries with the largest gold reserves forbes. According to this article on the silver standard, from the time of spains conquering of the new world the value of gold in relation to silver maintained a relatively stable ratio of 15. The united states holds the largest stockpile of gold reserves in the world by a considerable margin. In 2018, official sector activity rose 46 percent to 536 tonnes of purchases the second highest level of demand this century, according to the gfms gold survey. So we can say that the account under which the gold reserves were held was finally closed on june 7th, 1955. The united states has the largest gold reserves in the world. This disclosure is correspondence, both internal and with the bank of england. The 10 countries with the biggest gold reserves in the. Largest gold reserves top 6 countries with largest gold. The gold reserve of the united kingdom is the amount of gold kept by bank of england as a store of value of part of the united kingdoms wealth. The holdings presented here are as of wgcs december 2011.
Even before operation fish, convoys had been sent with gold and money worth millions of pounds to purchase weapons from the americans. One such run involved commodore augustus willington shelton agar and his ship hms emerald. Information relating to the decision to sell part of the uk gold reserves between 1999 and 2002. The bolsheviks took the gold, let the czechs begin their journey and promptly shot kolchak, who for the next 70 years was portrayed in soviet history books as an enemy of the people and thus. For example, china ranks relatively low on the list of gold reserves, but it is mining more new gold than any other country. Following the significant increase in physical form, the stock of gold reserves has. This page provides euro area gold reserves actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. The sale of uk gold reserves was a policy pursued by hm treasury over the period between 1999 and 2002, when gold prices were at their lowest in 20 years, following an extended bear market. Britain was right to sell off its pile of gold financial times. The international monetary fund imf is the thirdlargest holder of gold, with 2,814 tonnes 90. From chinas flying money to siberian soft gold, here are eight things you may not know about the history of money. It only accounts for official central bank gold holdings which are estimated to be around 20% of total gold above ground. The gold reserves of the largest industrial nations.
A documentary history, 16601999 duckenfield, mark on. Feb 18, 2020 gordon brown, one of our averagelytalented chancellors, at the turn of the century, told the world we had too much of the stuff and would be dumping loads on the market. United kingdom gold reserves actual data, historical chart and calendar of releases was last updated on october of 2019. The bundesbank has unveiled a new book which takes a closer look at germanys gold reserves. At that time, the central bank of the united states held approximately 8,3. Bundesbank unveils book on germanys gold deutsche bundesbank. The secret history of british intelligence in the americas, 19401945. The knowledgeable reader will have many questions throughout the 372 page cavernous history of gold. The largest holders of gold are the central banks, international organizations and governments. Explore our interactive map and compare the worlds central bank gold reserves, population, countries gold per capita, balance of payments. Italy poll says dont sell, borrow against gold reserves. Jan 11, 2012 authors are not always clear is their explanations, for instance, arthur lee smith in his book hitlers gold.
India has 10th largest gold reserves in the world, reveals. The secret wwii gold hoard that changed the world march 18, 2012 afp archive 7. Aug 31, 2018 the united states holds the largest stockpile of gold reserves in the world by a considerable margin. South korea gold reserves 20002019 data historical chart. It was the biggest known movement of wealth in history. Graph and download economic data for total gold reserves of federal reserve banks for united states m14062usm027nnbr from nov 1914 to may 1949 about gold, reserves, banks, depository institutions, and usa.
It owns around 3,300 metric tons of the yellow metal. Their central bank gold reserves are untouchable precisely because gold is a proven store of value. Global gold mine reserves by country 2019 statista. Leftover from the gold standard which the country abandoned in 1931 it is the 17th largest central bank reserve in the world with 310. From the historical data in the world gold councils archives comes the chart below depicting the dramatic rise and fall of u. This page provides united kingdom gold reserves actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.
Irans gold reserves, irans annual gold production to hit 7 tons. This page provides kyrgyzstan gold reserves actual values, historical data. Below are the top 10 countries with the largest gold holdings, beginning with india. Russia ranks sixth in the world in gold reserves, and the russian central bank said they total 1,614.