Ranking · Food, industry and space
Steel production by country
China is the largest steel producer, with about 980 million tonnes in 2025, more than half of the world's 1.9 billion tonnes. India was second with 160 million tonnes. The United States and Japan each made about 81 to 82 million tonnes. China also makes about 61% of the world's aluminum and 45% of its cement.
Where the world's 1.9 billion tonnes of steel come from
Share of world raw steel production, 2025
China 52%
8%
Everyone else 28%
- China 980
- India 160
- United States 82.0
- Japan 81.0
- Russia 65.0
- Everyone else 532
- Under 10
- 10–30
- 30–60
- 60–150
- Over 150
- Not in this ranking
- Under 0.5
- 0.5–1
- 1–2
- 2–4
- Over 4
- Not in this ranking
- Under 40
- 40–60
- 60–90
- 90–200
- Over 200
- Not in this ranking
| # | Country | Steel | Aluminum | Cement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China |
980 | 45.0 | 1,700 |
| 2 |  India |
160 | 4.2 | 470 |
| 3 |  United States |
82.0 | 0.66 | 84.0 |
| 4 |  Japan |
81.0 | · | 44.0 |
| 5 |  Russia |
65.0 | 3.9 | 59.0 |
| 6 |  South Korea |
60.0 | · | 37.0 |
| 7 |  Germany |
38.0 | · | · |
| 8 |  Turkey |
37.0 | · | 89.0 |
| 9 |  Brazil |
35.0 | 1.2 | 67.0 |
| 10 |  Iran |
32.0 | · | 68.0 |
| 11 |  Vietnam |
23.0 | · | 100 |
| # | Country | Aluminum | Steel | Cement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China |
45.0 | 980 | 1,700 |
| 2 | India |
4.2 | 160 | 470 |
| 3 | Russia |
3.9 | 65.0 | 59.0 |
| 4 |  Canada |
3.3 | · | · |
| 5 |  United Arab Emirates |
2.7 | · | · |
| 6 |  Bahrain |
1.6 | · | · |
| 7 |  Australia |
1.5 | · | · |
| 8 |  Norway |
1.3 | · | · |
| 9 | Brazil |
1.2 | 35.0 | 67.0 |
| 10 |  Malaysia |
1.1 | · | · |
| 11 |  Iceland |
0.75 | · | · |
| 12 | United States |
0.66 | 82.0 | 84.0 |
| # | Country | Cement | Steel | Aluminum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China |
1,700 | 980 | 45.0 |
| 2 | India |
470 | 160 | 4.2 |
| 3 | Vietnam |
100 | 23.0 | · |
| 4 | Turkey |
89.0 | 37.0 | · |
| 5 | United States |
84.0 | 82.0 | 0.66 |
| 6 | Iran |
68.0 | 32.0 | · |
| 7 | Brazil |
67.0 | 35.0 | 1.2 |
| 8 |  Egypt |
64.0 | · | · |
| 9 |  Indonesia |
64.0 | · | · |
| 10 | Russia |
59.0 | 65.0 | 3.9 |
| 11 |  Saudi Arabia |
54.0 | · | · |
| 12 | Japan |
44.0 | 81.0 | · |
| 13 |  Mexico |
42.0 | · | · |
| 14 | South Korea |
37.0 | 60.0 | · |
Why they rank where they do
-
China
China exported a record 119.02 million tonnes of steel in 2025, more than Japan produced in total.
-
India
India plans to reach 300 million tonnes of steelmaking capacity by 2030-31, under its 2017 National Steel Policy. It made 170.15 million tonnes in the fiscal year to March 2026.
-
United States
The United States passed Japan to become the third-largest steel producer in 2025. Nippon Steel bought US Steel on June 18, 2025. The deal gave the US government a "golden share" with a veto over decisions such as closing plants.
-
Japan
Japan's 2025 output was the lowest in 57 years, after four straight years of decline. Nippon Steel shut a blast furnace at Kashima in March 2025 and is building electric furnaces instead.
-
Russia
Since April 2024 the London Metal Exchange has not accepted Russian aluminum made after April 13, 2024, under American and British sanctions. The EU bans Russian aluminum, except under old contracts that end in 2026.
-
Germany
ArcelorMittal dropped its plans for low-carbon steel in Germany in June 2025 and gave up about 1.3 billion euros of state aid, blaming energy costs.
-
Vietnam
Vietnam makes more cement than it uses. Its cement exports rose 26% in 2025 after it cut the export tax on clinker, the main ingredient of cement, from 10% to 5%.
-
Bahrain
Bahrain's smelter, Alba, declared force majeure on March 4, 2026, after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz cut off its shipments and its supply of alumina, the raw material for aluminum.
-
Canada
Most Canadian aluminum is made in Quebec with cheap hydroelectric power and sold to the United States, where it now pays a 50% tariff.
-
United Arab Emirates
An Iranian strike on March 28, 2026, shut down Al Taweelah, the main smelter of Emirates Global Aluminium. By late August 2026 about a quarter of it had restarted.
Why does China make so much steel?
China built enormous steelmaking capacity to supply decades of building and infrastructure. Now that its property market has slumped, Chinese mills sell more steel abroad. China exported a record 119.02 million tonnes in 2025, 7.5% more than in 2024. The government has pledged to keep limiting steel output through 2030. China's statistics bureau reported 960.81 million tonnes of steel for 2025, 4.4% less than in 2024 and the first year below a billion tonnes since 2020.
China980
The next ten countries together613
India, United States, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Iran and Vietnam
Which countries produce the most aluminum?
China made about 45 million of the world's 74 million tonnes of new aluminum in 2025, about 61%. India was second with 4.2 million tonnes, Russia third with 3.9 million and Canada fourth with 3.3 million. Making aluminum takes huge amounts of electricity, so smelters cluster where power is cheap, as in Quebec, Iceland and the Gulf. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain lost much of their output after the 2026 Iran war closed the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian strikes hit their smelters. China caps its production at 45 million tonnes a year, but it made a record 3.98 million tonnes in August 2026 alone.
- China45.0
- India4.2
- Russia3.9
- Canada3.3
- United Arab Emirates2.7
- Bahrain1.6
- Australia1.5
- Norway1.3
Which countries produce the most cement?
China made about 1.7 billion of the world's 3.8 billion tonnes of cement in 2025, about 45%. India was second with 470 million tonnes. China's cement output peaked at about 2.5 billion tonnes in 2014 and has fallen since, as fewer apartments are built. Vietnam came third with 100 million tonnes, and record exports helped it. Turkey made 89 million tonnes and the United States 84 million.
- China1,700
- India470
- Vietnam100
- Turkey89.0
- United States84.0
- Iran68.0
- Brazil67.0
- Egypt64.0
Why are countries putting tariffs on steel?
Governments say Chinese steel is sold abroad below cost because China makes far more than it uses. The United States charges a 50% tariff on most steel imports, raised from 25% in June 2025. Since April 6, 2026, the tariff applies to the full value of goods made of steel. The EU replaced its old steel safeguard on July 1, 2026. The new rule cut the amount that can enter without duty by 47% on average and raised the duty above it from 25% to 50%. India has charged a safeguard duty on flat steel imports since April 2025, 11.5% from April 2026.
