In 2018, Asia produced 1 billion 271.1 million tons of crude steel, which is 5.6% more than in 2017. China's steel production reached 928.3 million tonnes in 2018, up 6.6% in 2017. China's share in global steel production increased from 50.3% in 2017 to 51.3% in 2018. India's steel production in 2018 was 106.5 million tonnes, up 4.9% on 2017. This means that India has replaced Japan as the world's second largest steel producing country. Japan produced 104.3 million tons in 2018, 0.3% less than in 2017. South Korea produced 72.5 million tonnes of steel in 2018, an increase of 2.0% over 2017.
In 2018, the EU produced 168.1 million tons of steel, which is 0.3% less than in 2017. Germany produced 42.4 million tonnes of steel in 2018, down 2.0% from 2017. France produced 15.4 million tonnes of steel in 2018, 0.7% less than in 2017. Spain produced 14.3 million tonnes of steel in 2018, decreasing production by 0.1% from 2017.
North American steel production in 2018 was 120.5 million tonnes, up 4.1% from 2017. The United States produced 86.7 million tonnes of steel, an increase of 6.2% on 2017.
In the CIS, 101.3 million tons were smelted in 2018, which is 0.3% more than in 2017. Russia produced 71.7 million tonnes of steel in 2018, which is 0.3% more than in 2017. Ukraine produced 21.1 million tons of steel in 2018, which is 1.1% less than in 2017.
Annual steel production for South America in 2018 was 44.3 million tonnes, up 1.3% from 2017. Brazil produced 34.7 million tonnes in 2018, 1.1% more than in 2017.
The Middle East produced 38.5 million tonnes of steel in 2018, up 11.7% in 2017. Iran produced 25.0 million tons of steel in 2018, increasing production by 17.7% in 2017.
Turkey's steel production in 2018 was 37.3 million tonnes, 0.6% less than in 2017.
