The countries with the largest gold reserves

• 1 USA

Total gold holdings: 8,133 tonnes

Value: $361.8bn

• 2 Germany 

Total gold holdings: 3,401 tonnes

Value: $151.3bn

• 3 IMF

Total gold holdings: 2,814 tonnes

Value: $125.7bn

The IMF oversees international economic operations of 187 member countries. Reserves remain to stabilise international markets and aid national economies.

• 4 Italy

Total gold holdings: 2,451.8 tonnes

Value: $109bn

• 5 France

Total gold holdings: 2,435.4 tonnes

Value: $108.3bn

• 6 China

Total gold holdings: 1,054.1 tonnes

Value: $46.9bn

• 7 Switzerland

Total gold holdings: 1,040.1 tonnes

Value: $46.3bn

• 8 Russia

Total gold holdings: 824.8 tonnes

Value: $34.9bn

• 9 Japan

Total gold holdings: 765.2 tonnes

Value: $34bn

• 10 Netherlands

Total gold holdings: 612.5 tonnes

Value: $27.2bn

The United Kingdom lags well behind in 17th place in the world league table. Britain currently holds 310.3 tonnes of gold, valued at $13.8bn.

As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown sold 395 tonnes of UK reserves between 1999 and 2002.

Information Via: telegraph.co.uk - article on July 14, 2011.