The global steel industry is an ever-evolving behemoth. From infrastructure construction to automotive manufacturing, the need for iron and steel is always on the rise. In 2020, the world’s top 10 iron producing countries accounted for more than 750 million metric tons of iron production, with China taking the lead with over 390 million metric tons. As the world’s population continues to grow and demands for iron and steel increase, several countries are ramping up their production to meet the demand. Here’s a look at the top 10 iron producing countries, updated for 2023.
China is still the leader in iron production with an estimated 430 million metric tons produced in 2023. This is an increase of nearly 4% compared to 2020 and has established China as the world’s largest producer of iron. The country continues to make investments in new steel mills and production facilities in order to increase its output and meet the growing demand.
In second place is the world’s second-largest producer, India. The country produced an estimated 210 million metric tons in 2023, a 3.5% increase from 2020. India is also making sizable investments in the steel industry, and its steel production is expected to continue to rise in the coming years.
The third-largest producer is Russia with an estimated 175 million metric tons of iron production in 2023. Russia has seen a consistent growth in its steel industry over the past several years, and this growth is expected to continue in the foreseeable future.
Coming in fourth is Japan with an estimated 135 million metric tons of iron produced in 2023. Japan is known for its quality production of steel, and it has consistently stayed in the top five of the world’s largest iron producing countries.
Coming in fifth is the United States with an estimated 115 million metric tons produced in 2023. The US steel industry is still strong and is growing rapidly as the need for steel continues to increase.
Brazil, South Korea, Ukraine, Turkey, and Iran round out the top 10 with estimated iron production of 92, 50, 50, 44, and 40 million metric tons respectively in 2023. Together, these 10 countries produce over 800 million metric tons of iron annually and are driving the global steel industry.
The steel industry is a vital part of the global economy, and it’s only going to become more important as the need for iron and steel rises. As the world’s leading iron producing countries continue to invest in new production facilities, the demand for steel will continue to increase. It will be interesting to see how the top 10 iron producing countries evolve in the coming years.