Abstract: Gold is a strategic mineral resource which is related to national security, and has important reserve significance. Global gold resources are rich and widely distributed in the world. The reserves and production of gold resources in global are distributed in a few countries. The research on the distribution characteristics and exploration & development pattern of gold resources in global has great significance for the effective layout of exploration & development cooperation and mining investment of overseas high-quality gold resources. The research shows that: ① more than 90% of gold reserves are distributed in 18 countries such as Australia, Russia and South Africa in global. ② North America and Canada have the largest number of large-superlarge gold deposits in global. ③ Most of the proven gold reserves and large-superlarge gold deposits are mainly distributed in the Phanerozoic Orogenic Belt and Precambrian Craton in global. ④ The degree of gold exploration & development in Asia, China, South Africa and Russia is more relatively high than other countries and regions in global. ⑤ Gold exploration investment leads the trend of all solid mineral exploration investment. The large mining companies and large gold resources countries are the main investors of gold resources exploration. ⑥ The hotspot countries of global gold exploration are distributed in North America and South America. ⑦ The 70% of annual gold production in global is distributed in China, Australia, Russia, Canada and other 12 countries. ⑧ The largest consumption countries of gold are China and India in global. The North America, Southern America and Southern Africa are the net exporters of gold in global. Asia and Europe are the net importers of gold in global. ⑨ The mergers and acquisitions of gold are active in global, but highly concentrated in Australia and Canada. Looking forward to the future, the exploration prospecting and development potential of gold is huge. The production and demand of gold will continue to rise. China will continue to be the largest gold consumer in global.