Global production of paper and paperboard 2010-2022, by country

In 2021, China produced over 128.37 million metric tons of paper and paperboard, making it the leading paper-producing country worldwide. The United States was the second-largest paper-producing country that year, with an output of 65.3 million metric tons.

Global paper production continues to decline

Global paper and paperboard production surpassed 417 million metric tons in 2021, which was an increase of roughly four percent from the previous year. This was the first growth in production after three years of consecutive decline. Asia is the largest paper-producing region by far, accounting for almost half of global production in 2021 - most of which was produced in China. This was followed by Europe, which produced a quarter of the world's paper and paperboard supply.

Paper trade

Although China is the largest producer of paper and paperboard, it is not the leading exporter of paper. Germany was the top exporter in 2021, with shipments totaling 14.7 million metric tons. This was followed by the United States, Sweden, and Finland.