As natural gas prices continue to spike, which gas producing countries will benefit most and which gas consuming nations are positioned to suffer bigger gas bills?

Three nations generate over 40% of the world’s estimated natural gas supplies.

Those countries are Russia, the United States and Canada, according to the April 2008 statistics from the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook.

Canada produces 730 billion cubic meters more gas than it consumes, while Russia’s net natural gas output is plus 46.2 billion cubic meters. In contrast, the U.S. consumes 113.2 billion cubic meters more gas than it produces.

Also listed below are natural gas statistics for other leading countries.

Top Ten Natural Gas Producing Countries

Led by the United Kingdom, total natural gas production from all European Union countries is 6.5%. Countries with large populations like China and India account for 1.8% and 0.9% of annual global natural gas output, respectively.

1. Russia … 656.2 billion cubic meters (19.9% of estimated world total)

2. United States … 490.8 billion cubic meters (14.9%)

3. Canada … 178.2 billion cubic meters (5.4%)

4. Iran … 101 billion cubic meters (3.1%)

5. Algeria … 84.4 billion cubic meters (2.6%)

6. United Kingdom … 84.2 billion cubic meters (2.6%)

7. Norway … 83.4 billion cubic meters (2.5%)

8. Netherlands … 77.3 billion cubic meters (2.3%)

9. Indonesia … 74 billion cubic meters (2.2%)

10. Turkmenistan … 72.3 billion cubic meters (2.2%).

Other Big Natural Gas Producing Nations

11. Saudi Arabia … 68.3 billion cubic meters (2.1% of estimated world total)

12. Uzbekistan … 62.5 billion cubic meters (1.9%)

13. Malaysia … 60.9 billion cubic meters (1.8%)

14. China … 58.6 billion cubic meters (1.8%)

15. United Arab Emirates … 45.1 billion cubic meters (1.4%)

16. Qatar … 43.9 billion cubic meters (1.3%)

17. Argentina … 43.8 billion cubic meters (1.3%)

18. Mexico … 41.4 billion cubic meters (1.3%)

19. Egypt … 40.8 billion cubic meters (1.2%)

20. Trinidad and Tobago … 39.9 billion cubic meters (1.2%)

21. Australia … 38.6 billion cubic meters (1.2%)

22. Pakistan … 29.5 billion cubic meters (0.9%)

23. India … 28.7 billion cubic meters (0.9%)

24. Venezuela …27.5 billion cubic meters (0.8%)

25. Thailand … 22.7 billion cubic meters (0.7%).

Top Ten Natural Gas Consuming Countries

Russia and the U.S. account for more than 40% of total natural gas consumption. Led by Germany, total natural gas consumption by all European Union countries is 16.4%. Heavily populated China and India consume 1.8% and 1.1% of annual global gas consumption, respectively.

1. Russia … 610 billion cubic meters (20.2% of estimated world total)

2. United States … 604 billion cubic meters (20.0%)

3. Iran … 98.2 billion cubic meters (3.2%)

4. Germany … 96.8 billion cubic meters (3.2%)

5. Canada … 92.8 billion cubic meters (3.1%)

6. United Kingdom … 91.2 billion cubic meters (3%)

7. Japan … 83.7 billion cubic meters (2.8%)

8. Italy … 82.6 billion cubic meters (2.7%)

9. Ukraine … 73.9 billion cubic meters (2.4%)

10. Saudi Arabia … 68.3 billion cubic meters (2.3%).

Other Leading Consumers of Natural Gas

11. China … 55.6 billion cubic meters (1.8% of estimated world total)

12. Uzbekistan … 48.4 billion cubic meters (1.6%)

13. Netherlands … 47.8 billion cubic meters (1.6%)

14. Mexico … 47.5 billion cubic meters (1.6%)

15. France … 47.3 billion cubic meters (1.6%)

16. United Arab Emirates … 39.6 billion cubic meters (1.3%)

17. Argentina … 38.8 billion cubic meters (1.3%)

18. Indonesia … 37.5 billion cubic meters (1.2%)

19. Trinidad and Tobago … 37.3 billion cubic meters (1.2%)

20. India … 34.5 billion cubic meters (1.1%)

21. South Korea … 34.2 billion cubic meters (1.1%)

22. Egypt … 32.8 billion cubic meters (1.1%)

23. Malaysia … 31.8 billion cubic meters (1.1%)

24. Thailand … 31.2 billion cubic meters (1%)

25. Spain … 30.6 billion cubic meters (1%).