But the abundance of coal didn't kickstart the Industrial Revolution. Coal is abundant all over the world - especially in Eastern China, Northeastern India, the

But the abundance of coal didn't kickstart the Industrial Revolution. Coal is abundant all over the world - especially in Eastern China, Northeastern India, the Carpathian Mountains, the Urals, and so forth. Industrialization is just what allows you to exploit coal on a large scale, because you can mine and move it in large quantities when you have steam engines, railroads and hydraulics. It wasn't "discovered" in England at that time, it had been known about since the Roman era. Likewise large coal deposits were known about, and used, in many other places in the world. I don't know why this myth of "Britain finds it has coal -> industrial revolution" persists.