Data Context: Venezuela Holds World’s Largest Oil Reserves – 6x More Than U.S.

As the United States moves to establish an interim administration in Caracas following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) highlights the immense economic stakes of the intervention. Venezuela is not just a regional security concern; it possesses the largest proven oil reserves on the planet, surpassing Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Canada.
According to EIA figures, Venezuela holds 303.8 billion barrels of oil. This vast resource base is significantly larger than that of the United States, which ranks 10th globally with 47.1 billion barrels. In practical terms, the nation the U.S. has just declared it will “run” sits on nearly six times the oil reserves of the U.S. itself.
This data provides critical context to President Trump’s recent comments that American oil companies would be “heavily involved” in Venezuela to “start making money for the country.” For decades, mismanagement and sanctions have kept Venezuela’s output far below its potential. With the regime decapitated, control over these 303 billion barrels—the “crown jewel” of global energy—now effectively shifts into the sphere of U.S. influence.
Global Oil Reserves (Billion Barrels – US EIA):
* 🇻🇪 Venezuela: 303.8
* 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: 258.6
* 🇮🇷 Iran: 208.6
* 🇨🇦 Canada: 170.3
* 🇮🇶 Iraq: 145.0
* 🇰🇼 Kuwait: 101.5
* 🇦🇪 UAE: 97.8
* 🇷🇺 Russia: 80.0
* 🇱🇾 Libya: 48.3
* 🇺🇸 US: 47.1
* 🇳🇬 Nigeria: 36.8
* 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan: 30.0
* 🇨🇳 China: 26.0
* 🇶🇦 Qatar: 25.2
* 🇧🇷 Brazil: 12.7
The gap between Venezuela and its peers underscores why control of Caracas has always been a geopolitical flashpoint. While Saudi Arabia (2nd) and Iran (3rd) remain energy titans, Venezuela’s underutilized capacity represents the single largest opportunity for market disruption in the coming decade.