Foreign exchange reserves (also called Forex reserves) in a strict sense are only the foreign currency deposits held by central banks and monetary authorities. However, the term foreign exchange reserves in popular usage (such as this list) commonly includes foreign exchange and gold, SDRs and IMF reserve position as this total figure is more readily available, however it is accurately deemed as official reserves or international reserves. The list excludes currency swaps conducted by central banks.

These are assets of the central banks which are held in different reserve currencies such as the dollar, euro, yen and pound, and which are used to back its liabilities, e.g. the local currency issued, and the various bank reserves deposited with the central bank, by the government or financial institutions. Before the end of the gold standard, gold was the preferred reserve. Some nations are converting foreign exchange reserves into sovereign wealth funds, which can rival foreign exchange reserves in size.

This is a list of countries and territories by foreign exchange reserves in US dollar equivalence. Some nations have multiple monetary authorities, counted separately, such as the People's Republic of China, which has three (mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau). Exchange rate fluctuations can have significant impact on these numbers. While most nations report in US dollars, a few nations in Eastern Europe report solely in Euros.

List of states by foreign exchange reserves

For consistency, forward currency swap contracts are not included in this list until they mature, figures that include them may be higher or lower than those listed here. IMF or other outstanding loans are not shown here, and if accounted for many nations would list lower.

Rank Country/Monetary Authority Foreign exchange reserves (millions of USD) Figures as of — World (sum of all countries) 8,753,689 -- 1 2,273,000 Sep 2009 2 1,052,600 Sep 2009 - Eurozone (EU member states which have adopted the euro, incl. ECB) 696,912 Sep 2009 3 441,700 Nov 2009 4 395,467 May 2009 5 Taiwan 341,200 Oct 2009 6 285,520 Oct 2009 7 264,200 Oct 2009 8 Hong Kong 240,100 Oct 2009 9 235,489 Nov 2009 10 184,167 Jul 2009 11 182,038 Sep 2009 12 145,363 Apr 2009 13 135,600 Oct 2009 14 112,967 Jul 2009 15 107,375 Aug 2009 16 104,616 Aug 2009 17 96,560 Dec 2008 18 96,000 Oct 2009 19 83,935 Aug 2009 20 83,375 Jul 2009 21 79,000 Sep 2007 22 76,896 Sep 2009 23 76,459 Sep 2009 — European Central Bank (ECB, not owned by any single EU member) 73,719 Apr 2009 24 71,528 Jul 2009 25 70,497 Jul 2009 26 62,287 Sep 2009 27 61,196 Oct 2009 28 53,571 Aug 2009 29 48,779 Jan 2009 30 46,542 Aug 2009 31 46,047 Jul 2009 32 45,117 Aug 2009 33 45,052 Aug 2009 34 45,021 Aug 2009 35 45,000 Oct 2008 36 43,319 Aug 2009 37 43,200 Sep 2009 38 42,628 Dec 2008 39 41,764 Jul 2009 40 40,900 Sep 2009 41 39,142 Sep 2009 42 39,049 Aug 2009 43 36,904 Aug 2009 44 34,027 Oct 2009 45 33,624 Nov 2009 46 29,625 Aug 2009 47 25,840 Aug 2009 48 24,872 Aug 2009 49 22,026 Jul 2009 50 21,918 Apr 2009 51 20,700 Jun 2008 52 Macau 17,630 Aug 2009 53 19,974 Jul 2009 54 19,630 2007 est. 55 19,400 2007 est. 56 19,400 2009 est. 57 17,310 Aug 2009 58 Ireland 16,229 Apr 2009 59 15,118 Aug 2009 60 14,855 May 2009 61 14,430 Oct 2009 62 12,965 May 2009 63 11,759 Apr 2009 64 10,927 Apr 2009 65 10,223 Aug 2009 66 10,120 Jun 2009 67 10,000 Nov 2009 68 10,000 May 2008 69 9,523 Aug 2009 70 9,316 Apr 2008 71 8,100 2008 est. 72 7,717 Dec 2008 73 7,400 Mar 2009 74 7,083 Apr 2009 75 7,004 2007 est. 76 6,500 Oct 2008 77 6,368 2007 est. 78 6,176 2007 est. 79 6,039 2007 est. 80 5,810 May 2009 81 5,600 2007 est. 82 5,438 May 2009 83 5,337 Apr 2009 84 5,151 Jan 2008 85 4,559 2007 est. 86 4,522 May 2009 87 4,517 May 2009 88 4,247 2007 est. 89 3,928 2007 est. 90 3,915 2007 est. 91 3,644 2007 est. 92 3,522 2007 est. 93 3,500 Aug 2008 94 3,474 2007 est. 95 3,461 May 2009 96 3,459 May 2009 97 2,837 2007 est. 98 2,743 Nov 2008 99 2,681 Apr 2009 100 2,615 Mar 2009 101 2,600 Oct 2008 102 2,525 2007 est. 103 2,522 Aug 2009 104 2,500 2007 est. 105 2,441 2007 est. 106 2,341 2007 est. 107 2,336 Oct 2008 108 2,243 Nov 2007 109 2,193 Dec 2007 110 1,772 2007 est. 111 1,615 Dec 2007 112 1,490 Dec 2007 113 1,480 Apr 2009 114 1,470 Nov 2007 115 1,459 2007 est. 116 1,350 2007 est. 117 1,311 Apr 2009 118 1,300 2008 est. 119 1,260 2007 est. 120 1,245 2007 est. 121 1,242 Apr 2009 122 1,222 Mar 2008 123 1,216 May 2009 124 1,102 Apr 2009 125 1,100 2007 est. 126 1,075 2007 est. 127 1,000 Jul 2007 128 997 2007 est. 129 897 2007 est. 130 889 2007 est. 131 840 2007 est. 132 825 2007 est. 133 750 2007 est. 134 745 2007 est. 135 620 2007 est 136 514 2007 est. 137 511 2007 est. 138 395 2007 est. 139 363 2007 est. 140 344 2007 est. 141 301 2007 est. 142 292 2007 est. 143 221 2007 est. 144 150 Oct 2008 145 149 Dec 2007 146 140 2007 est. 147 120 2007 est. 148 119 2007 est. 149 118 2007 est. 150 118 2007 est. 151 70 2004 est. 152 55 Feb 2008 153 49 Dec 2008 154 36 Jan 2009 155 36 Dec 2007 156 22 2007 est.

List of outstanding forward swap agreements

The following is a list of outstanding forward swap contracts with the Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, People's Bank of China. They are not included in foreign exchange reserves, but can bolster the reserves when credit is taken out, and reduce the reserves when credit expires. The Fed has extended its credit deadline to Oct. 30, 2009 for those nations listed below. Japan's deadlines are April 30, 2009, but may be extended. China's table list below are a lines of credit, and does not show actual withdrawals, and are valid for 3 years.

Rank Country/Monetary Authority Foreign exchange swap with Fed (millions of USD) Figures as of 1 European Central Bank -264,100 Nov 2008 2 -97,000 Nov 2008 3 -54,300 Nov 2009 4 -30,000 Dec 2008 4 -30,000 Dec 2008 4 -30,000 Dec 2008 7 -25,000 Nov 2008 8 -21,600 Nov 2008 9 -20,800 Nov 2008 10 -15,000 Nov 2008

Rank Country/Monetary Authority Foreign exchange swap with BOJ (millions of USD) Figures as of 1 -20,000 Dec 2008 2 -12,000 Feb 2009 3 -6,000 Dec 2008 3 -6,000 Dec 2008 5 -3,000 Dec 2008 5 -3,000 Dec 2008

Rank Country/Monetary Authority Swap credit line with PBC (millions of Yuan) Issue date 1 -200,000 Jan 2009 2 -180,000 Dec 2008 3 -100,000 Mar 2009 4 -80,000 Feb 2009 5 -70,000 Mar 2009 6 -20,000 Feb 2009

See also

• Official gold reserves

References

1. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601068&sid=aly1jjxF.uoA
2. Central Bank of Russia Retrieved on 2009-07-29
3. [1] Retrieved on 2009-07-29
4. [2] Retrieved on 2009-07-29
5. [3] Retrieved on 2009-10-20
6. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/11/123_54808.html
7. International Reserves - Updated daily Central Bank of Brazil. Retrieved on 2009-10-08.
8. [4]
9. [5]
10. IMF.org:International reserves by country
11. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html
12. http://www.cbi.iq/index2.htm
13. [6] Retrieved on 2009-09-7
14. [7] Retrieved on 2009-09-7
15. Net International Reserves Central Bank of Egypt. Retrieved on 2009-11-07.
16. Novynar
17. [8]
18. [9]
19. Bloomberg:China, Indonesia in 100 Billion Yuan Currency Swap

External links

• The World Factbook, CIA
• IMF's data on current foreign exchange reserves of reporting countries
• SDDS subscribers with links to their websites containing data on international reserves
• Central bank websites from Bank for International Settlements