China, mainland vs United States: Paper and paperboard — Production

China, mainland
136.25 million t
in 2024
United States
62.46 million t
in 2024
China, mainland rank
2nd
United States rank
3rd

Paper and paperboard — Production over time

  • China, mainland
  • United States
050.0M100.0M150.0M196119922024

How they compare

China, mainland currently reports 136.25 million t against 62.46 million t in United States, a difference of 73.79 million t.

That makes China, mainland's figure about 2.2 times United States's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 64 shared years of data; in 1961 it was United States ahead.

China, mainland ranks 2nd and United States ranks 3rd of 152 countries.

Across the 7 decades both report, China, mainland averaged higher in 2 and United States in 5.

Head to head by decade

Decade China, mainland United States Difference Ahead
1960s 2.64 million t 38.06 million t 35.42 million t United States
1970s 3.39 million t 51.19 million t 47.80 million t United States
1980s 8.73 million t 62.26 million t 53.53 million t United States
1990s 21.86 million t 81.13 million t 59.26 million t United States
2000s 55.36 million t 81.56 million t 26.20 million t United States
2010s 103.92 million t 72.69 million t 31.24 million t China, mainland
2020s 124.88 million t 64.45 million t 60.43 million t China, mainland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher paper and paperboard — production, China, mainland or United States?
China, mainland, at 136.25 million t against 62.46 million t in United States as of 2024.
What is the difference in paper and paperboard — production between China, mainland and United States?
73.79 million t, with China, mainland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China, mainland and United States?
64 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2024.
How do China, mainland and United States rank globally for paper and paperboard — production?
China, mainland ranks 2nd and United States ranks 3rd of 152 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as Paper and paperboard — Production. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China, mainland vs United States: Paper and paperboard — Production. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/paper-and-paperboard-production-2/china-mainland/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Paper and paperboard — Production
Unit
t
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
182 places, 9,002 data points, 1961–2024
Last refreshed

The database contains data on the production and trade in roundwood and in primary wood and paper products for all countries and territories in the world.The main types of primary forest products included in this database are roundwood, sawnwood, wood-based panels, pulp, and paper and paperboard. These products are detailed further and defined in the Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire (JFSQ) (https://www.fao.org/statistics/data-collection/forestry/en). The database contains details of the following topics: - roundwood removals (production) by coniferous and non-coniferous wood and assortments, - production and trade in industrial roundwood, sawnwood, wood-based panels, wood charcoal, pulp, paper and paperboard, and other products. More detailed information on wood products, including definitions, can be found at: https://www.fao.org/statistics/data-collection/forestry/en