These 7 Countries Have the Largest Gold Reserves

Gold was once used as the backstop to the world's currencies, but now most currencies are backed by the faith and credit of the governments that issue them (which makes them fiat currencies).

That said, if you look at the countries with the largest gold reserves, and the amounts these countries hold, you might see the important roles that gold still plays around the world. Far from being a relic of a distant past, gold is still a vital store of wealth for the largest and most important nations on Earth, even if the metal's relationship to currency has changed.

Here's a who's who of the major global gold hoarders.