Annual production for Asia was 1,162.5 Mt of crude steel in 2017, an increase of 5.4% compared to 2016. Chinaâs crude steel production in 2017 reached 831.7 Mt, up by 5.7% on 2016. Chinaâs share of world crude steel production increased from 49.0% in 2016 to 49.2% in 2017. Japan produced 104.7 Mt in 2017, down by -0.1% compared to 2016. Indiaâs crude steel production for 2017 was 101.4 Mt, up by 6.2% on 2016. South Korea produced 71.1 Mt of crude steel in 2017, an increase of 3.7% compared to 2016.
In 2017, the EU (28) produced 168.7 Mt of crude steel, an increase of 4.1% compared to 2016. Italy produced 24.0 Mt in 2017, up by 2.9% on 2016. Spain produced 14.5 Mt of crude steel in 2017, an increase of 6.2% compared to 2016.
Crude steel production in North America was 116.0 Mt, 4.8% higher than in 2016. The US produced 81.6 Mt of crude steel, up by 4.0% on 2016.
worldsteelâs estimation of 2017 crude steel production in the CIS based on available data was 102.1 Mt, the same amount as in 2016. Russia* produced 71.3 Mt of crude steel in 2017, up by 1.3% on 2016. Ukraine* recorded a decrease of -6.4% with a year-end figure of 22.7 Mt.
Annual crude steel production for South America was 43.7 Mt in 2017, an increase of 8.7% on 2016. Brazil produced 34.4 Mt in 2017, up by 9.9% compared to 2016.
In December 2017, world crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 138.1 Mt, an increase of 3.9% compared to December 2016. The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 66 countries in December 2017 was 69.5%. This is 1.8 percentage points higher than December 2016.