International Paper Sizes & Formats
If you are looking for the specific size of a particular paper format these are available on the following tabs below:
The History Of Paper
Paper was developed completely independently by the Chinese sometime between 300BCE and 105CE. (Common Era date.)
1682 x 2378 mm | 66.2 x 93.6 inches
1189 x 1682 mm | 46.8 x 66.2 inches
841 x 1189 mm | 33.1 x 46.8 inches
594 x 841 mm | 23.4 x 33.1
420 x 594 mm | 16.5 x 23.4 inches
297 x 420 mm | 11.7 x 16.5 inches
210 x 297 mm | 8.3 x 11.7 inches
148 x 210 mm | 5.8 x 8.3 inches
105 x 148 mm | 4.1 x 5.8 inches
74 x 105 mm | 2.9 x 4.1 inches
52 x 74 mm | 2.0 x 2.9 inches
37 x 52 mm | 1.5 x 2.0 inches
26 x 37 mm | 1.0 x 1.5 inches
Papyrus
Papyrus is similar in many ways to paper, including being made of plant material and being made into sheets. Papyrus was first used sometime in the third or fourth millenia BCE, with documents been dated to 2560-2550BCE. Papyrus use spread across Europe and was in regular use until the 7th and 8th centuries. Very fragile and easily damaged by the moisture often found in Northern Europe.
1000 x 1414 mm | 39.4 x 55.7 inches
707 x 1000 mm | 27.8 x 39.4 inches
500 x 707 mm | 19.7 x 27.8 inches
353 x 500 mm | 13.9 x 19.7 inches
250 x 353 mm | 9.8 x 13.9 inches
176 x 250 mm | 6.9 x 9.8 inches
125 x 176 mm | 4.9 x 6.9 inches
88 x 125 mm | 3.5 x 4.9 inches
62 x 88 mm | 2.4 x 3.5 inches
44 x 62 mm | 1.7 x 2.4 inches
31 x 44 mm | 1.2 x 1.7 inches
Parchment
Parchment, unlike paper and papyrus, is made from stretched and dried animal skins. It is then cut into sheets for use as a writing material. Parchment is usually made from calfskin (vellum), goatskin or sheepskin. The earliest recorded use of parchment is also in Egypt and at about the same time as the earliest use of papyrus. Many important books and documents were written on parchment, including the Magna Carta and the US constitution.
917 x 1297 mm | 36.1 x 51.5 inches
648 x 917 mm | 25.5 x 36.1 inches
458 x 648 mm | 18.0 x 25.5 inches
324 x 458 mm | 12.8 x 18.0 inches
229 x 324 mm | 9.0 x 12.8 inches
162 x 229 mm | 6.4 x 9.0 inches
114 x 162 mm | 4.5 x 6.4 inches
81 x 114 mm | 3.2 x 4.5 inches
57 x 81 mm | 2.2 x 3.2 inches
40 x 57 mm | 1.6 x 2.2 inches
28 x 40 mm | 1.1 x 1.6 inches
Portrait & Landscape Paper
When paper is presented as in a letter with the short side at the top it is referred to as Portrait and when it has the long side at the top, it is referred to as Landscape (see diagram to the right).
The names Portrait and Landscape are taken from art as portraits are generally painted with a shorter top edge and longer sides, with landscapes having the longer top edge and shorter sides.