Recovered paper — Production in China
China: Recovered paper — Production was 73.29 million t in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Recovered paper — Production in China, 1970–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.
Analysis
In 2024, recovered paper — production in China stood at 73.29 million t. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and up 40.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, recovered paper — production in China peaked at 73.29 million t in 2024 and was at its lowest, 811,000 t, in 1970.
China ranks 1st of 166 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Recovered paper — Production in China, year by year
| Year | t | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 811,000 t | — |
| 1971 | 856,000 t | +5.5% |
| 1972 | 953,000 t | +11.3% |
| 1973 | 1.06 million t | +10.9% |
| 1974 | 878,000 t | -16.9% |
| 1975 | 880,000 t | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 1.00 million t | +14.2% |
| 1977 | 1.13 million t | +12.5% |
| 1978 | 1.35 million t | +19.5% |
| 1979 | 1.79 million t | +32.2% |
| 1980 | 1.96 million t | +9.9% |
| 1981 | 2.30 million t | +17.1% |
| 1982 | 2.32 million t | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 2.64 million t | +14.1% |
| 1984 | 3.38 million t | +27.8% |
| 1985 | 3.03 million t | -10.4% |
| 1986 | 3.90 million t | +28.8% |
| 1987 | 4.09 million t | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 5.54 million t | +35.6% |
| 1989 | 5.91 million t | +6.5% |
| 1990 | 6.83 million t | +15.6% |
| 1991 | 7.42 million t | +8.7% |
| 1992 | 8.29 million t | +11.6% |
| 1993 | 8.23 million t | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 10.60 million t | +28.8% |
| 1995 | 11.58 million t | +9.3% |
| 1996 | 11.63 million t | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 12.10 million t | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 12.20 million t | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 15.41 million t | +26.4% |
| 2000 | 14.34 million t | -6.9% |
| 2001 | 13.57 million t | -5.4% |
| 2002 | 16.90 million t | +24.6% |
| 2003 | 17.96 million t | +6.3% |
| 2004 | 19.88 million t | +10.7% |
| 2005 | 21.97 million t | +10.5% |
| 2006 | 27.11 million t | +23.4% |
| 2007 | 32.10 million t | +18.4% |
| 2008 | 35.75 million t | +11.4% |
| 2009 | 40.82 million t | +14.2% |
| 2010 | 44.54 million t | +9.1% |
| 2011 | 47.67 million t | +7.0% |
| 2012 | 48.80 million t | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 47.32 million t | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 52.27 million t | +10.5% |
| 2015 | 52.12 million t | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 53.35 million t | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 56.55 million t | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 53.24 million t | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 55.88 million t | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 58.28 million t | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 68.42 million t | +17.4% |
| 2022 | 69.91 million t | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 70.85 million t | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 73.29 million t | +3.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 73.29 million t is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 83,500 t, 877.8× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- China's 73.29 million t is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 289,485 t, 253.2× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.07 million t | 811,000 t | 1.79 million t | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.51 million t | 1.96 million t | 5.91 million t | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.43 million t | 6.83 million t | 15.41 million t | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.04 million t | 13.57 million t | 40.82 million t | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.17 million t | 44.54 million t | 56.55 million t | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.15 million t | 58.28 million t | 73.29 million t | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 2 China, mainland 69.72 million t compare
- 3 United States 40.69 million t compare
- 4 Japan 16.66 million t compare
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.2517 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is recovered paper — production in China?
- Recovered paper — production in China was 73.29 million t in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest recovered paper — production recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 73.29 million t in 2024.
- What is the lowest recovered paper — production recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 811,000 t in 1970.
- How does China rank for recovered paper — production?
- China ranks 1st out of 166 countries with data for 2024.
- Is recovered paper — production rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Recovered paper — Production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
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