Crude steelmaking capacity in China
China: Crude steelmaking capacity was 1,136 Tonnes in 2025. ▲ Rising
Crude steelmaking capacity in China, 2000–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Tonnes.
Analysis
In 2025, crude steelmaking capacity in China stood at 1,136 Tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, crude steelmaking capacity in China peaked at 1,223 Tonnes in 2014 and was at its lowest, 224.17 Tonnes, in 2000.
That places China 1st out of 115 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Crude steelmaking capacity in China, year by year
| Year | Tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 224.17 Tonnes | — |
| 2001 | 250.62 Tonnes | +11.8% |
| 2002 | 361.95 Tonnes | +44.4% |
| 2003 | 489.07 Tonnes | +35.1% |
| 2004 | 553.64 Tonnes | +13.2% |
| 2005 | 646.86 Tonnes | +16.8% |
| 2006 | 721.97 Tonnes | +11.6% |
| 2007 | 807.98 Tonnes | +11.9% |
| 2008 | 875.42 Tonnes | +8.3% |
| 2009 | 979.84 Tonnes | +11.9% |
| 2010 | 1,058 Tonnes | +8.0% |
| 2011 | 1,111 Tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 1,166 Tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 1,215 Tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 1,223 Tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 1,209 Tonnes | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 1,187 Tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 1,159 Tonnes | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 1,123 Tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 1,148 Tonnes | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 1,148 Tonnes | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 1,146 Tonnes | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 1,150 Tonnes | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 1,142 Tonnes | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 1,142 Tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1,136 Tonnes | -0.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1,136 Tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.65 Tonnes, 688.2× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- China's 1,136 Tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.79 Tonnes, 634.4× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 591.15 Tonnes | 224.17 Tonnes | 979.84 Tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,160 Tonnes | 1,058 Tonnes | 1,223 Tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,144 Tonnes | 1,136 Tonnes | 1,150 Tonnes | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 1 United States 121.2 Tonnes compare
- 1 Viet Nam 29 Tonnes compare
- 2 India 185.3 Tonnes compare
- 2 Syrian Arab Republic 2.6 Tonnes compare
- 3 Japan 113.6 Tonnes compare
- 3 Türkiye 59.9 Tonnes compare
- 3 Democratic Republic of the Congo 0.12 Tonnes compare
- 4 Poland 9.5 Tonnes compare
- 4 Russia 90.8 Tonnes compare
More urban development data for China
- Population in the largest city 3.3% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 460.16 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.3272 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 2.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 47 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 30.48 million (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 11,049 Hectares (2020)
- Population density 150.26 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is crude steelmaking capacity in China?
- Crude steelmaking capacity in China was 1,136 Tonnes in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest crude steelmaking capacity recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1,223 Tonnes in 2014.
- What is the lowest crude steelmaking capacity recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 224.17 Tonnes in 2000.
- How does China rank for crude steelmaking capacity?
- China ranks 1st out of 115 countries with data for 2025.
- Is crude steelmaking capacity rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Crude steelmaking capacity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This dataset provides information on crude steelmaking capacity for 132 OECD Member countries and non-OECD economies over the period 2000–2025. Definitions Steelmaking capacity Nominal crude steelmaking capacity is defined as the maximum theoretical output of installed steelmaking equipment. This definition does not account for yield losses, maintenance downtime, or other factors affecting actual production. As a result, the steelmaking capacity figures provided by the OECD should not be interpreted as effective capacity. Capacity is expressed in million metric tonnes (mmt). Annual capacity figures reflect all steelmaking capacity existing at the end of each calendar year. Steelmaking equipment Steelmaking equipment includes all equipment used to produce crude steel. The definition excludes ironmaking equipment, which is considered upstream, as well as casting, rolling, and finishing equipment, which are considered downstream. Specifically, crude steelmaking equipment includes electric arc furnaces (EAF), induction furnaces (IF) and LD basic oxygen furnaces (BOF). Methodology Steelmaking capacity developments are derived from data on existing capacity, investments, and closures. Capacity changes reflect new additions and permanent closures and therefore represent net changes. In some cases, capacity may be overestimated due to the assumption that projects classified as underway with expired start dates have become operational. Only permanent closures are included in capacity calculations, although some closures cannot be clearly classified due to limited available information. Data sources OECD calculations based on desk research, company websites, publicly available news sources and information exchanges within the OECD Steel Committee. Cite this dataset OECD (2025). Crude steelmaking capacity dataset. Accessed on [Day Month Year]. Further information OECD Steel Outlook 2025 OECD Steel Committee Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity For questions or comments regarding this dataset, please contact Maika Sakamoto (Maika.SAKAMOTO@oecd.org) or Masanobu Nakamizu (Masanobu.NAKAMIZU@oecd.org).