Iron ore
Which countries have iron ore reserves? 74 countries in the Magna Factbook list iron ore among their natural resources, ranked and linked.
Last updated: October 2026
74 countries list iron ore among their natural resources. United States — scored 90.0/100 by the Bureau — is the highest-ranked holder, ahead of China, France. Control of iron ore is geopolitical leverage: whoever holds the resource weighs on supply chains.
| # | Country | Power |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 90.0/100 |
| 2 | China | 88.03/100 |
| 3 | France | 83.8/100 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 82.72/100 |
| 5 | India | 78.13/100 |
| 6 | Australia | 72.51/100 |
| 7 | Saudi Arabia | 72.16/100 |
| 8 | Turkey | 70.6/100 |
| 9 | Norway | 69.77/100 |
| 10 | Brazil | 68.58/100 |
| 11 | Canada | 67.8/100 |
| 12 | Malaysia | 67.32/100 |
All 74 holders62 more
| # | Country | Power |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Germany | 66.96/100 |
| 14 | Spain | 66.07/100 |
| 15 | Iran | 65.89/100 |
| 16 | New Zealand | 65.31/100 |
| 17 | Egypt | 64.86/100 |
| 18 | Sweden | 63.9/100 |
| 19 | Pakistan | 63.75/100 |
| 20 | Morocco | 63.03/100 |
| 21 | Kazakhstan | 62.95/100 |
| 22 | South Africa | 61.47/100 |
| 23 | Argentina | 60.77/100 |
| 24 | Colombia | 60.09/100 |
| 25 | Algeria | 59.88/100 |
| 26 | Peru | 59.43/100 |
| 27 | Finland | 58.96/100 |
| 28 | Venezuela | 58.77/100 |
| 29 | Ukraine | 58.6/100 |
| 30 | North Korea | 58.2/100 |
| 31 | Chile | 57.94/100 |
| 32 | Austria | 56.36/100 |
| 33 | Portugal | 56.21/100 |
| 34 | Azerbaijan | 56.03/100 |
| 35 | Honduras | 55.64/100 |
| 36 | Romania | 55.56/100 |
| 37 | Nigeria | 54.23/100 |
| 38 | Greece | 54.14/100 |
| 39 | Georgia | 53.97/100 |
| 40 | Cambodia | 53.79/100 |
| 41 | Croatia | 53.73/100 |
| 42 | Tunisia | 53.22/100 |
| 43 | Paraguay | 52.62/100 |
| 44 | Mongolia | 51.22/100 |
| 45 | Bolivia | 50.91/100 |
| 46 | Nepal | 50.68/100 |
| 47 | Albania | 50.43/100 |
| 48 | Cuba | 49.96/100 |
| 49 | Lebanon | 49.47/100 |
| 50 | Serbia | 49.36/100 |
| 51 | Gabon | 48.92/100 |
| 52 | Tanzania | 48.26/100 |
| 53 | Slovakia | 48.05/100 |
| 54 | Suriname | 47.82/100 |
| 55 | Luxembourg | 45.89/100 |
| 56 | Côte d'Ivoire | 45.8/100 |
| 57 | Senegal | 45.32/100 |
| 58 | Angola | 44.42/100 |
| 59 | Cameroon | 40.67/100 |
| 60 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 39.34/100 |
| 61 | Sudan | 38.64/100 |
| 62 | Liberia | 34.61/100 |
| 63 | Guinea | 34.57/100 |
| 64 | Botswana | 34.42/100 |
| 65 | Syria | 29.54/100 |
| 66 | North Macedonia | 29.53/100 |
| 67 | Sierra Leone | 26.18/100 |
| 68 | Zimbabwe | 24.27/100 |
| 69 | Mauritania | 22.55/100 |
| 70 | Afghanistan | 20.43/100 |
| 71 | Somalia | 16.58/100 |
| 72 | Niger | 13.02/100 |
| 73 | South Sudan | 10.23/100 |
| 74 | Andorra | 8.99/100 |
Iron ore is used for the primary raw material for steel production.
Among countries tracked by the Bureau, United States is the highest-ranked holder of iron ore, with a power score of 90.0/100. The ranking reflects national power, not just production volume — it shows who has leverage, not just who has deposits.
The Bureau does not publish a specific percentage for China's control of iron ore. What the data shows is that China is ranked #2 among the 74 countries that list iron ore among their natural resources, with a power score of 88.03/100.
Iron ore is a natural resource tracked by the Bureau. 74 countries list iron ore among their natural resources. United States — scored 90.0/100 by the Bureau — is the highest-ranked holder. Control of iron ore is geopolitical leverage: whoever holds the resource weighs on the supply chains that depend on it.
Which countries hold iron ore?
74 countries list iron ore among their natural resources. The page ranks each by its national power score, with a link to its full country profile.
Which country holds the most iron ore?
United States is the highest-ranked holder, with a power score of 90.0/100. The ranking reflects national power, not just reserves — it shows who has leverage, not just who has deposits.
Why is iron ore geopolitically important?
Control of iron ore is geopolitical leverage: whoever holds the resource weighs on the supply chains that depend on it. The Bureau's mineral pages show who holds what, ranked by national power.