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Apparent consumption (defined as production + imports – exports) of wood products around the world totalled 449 million m3sawnwood, 395 million m3wood-based panels and 403 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2015 (Table 9.6).

Almost two fifths (38%) of all sawnwood in 2015 was consumed in Asia and around one quarter each in Europe (24%) and in North & Central America (26%). Reflecting the increased production of sawnwood in recent years (see Table 9.5), apparent consumption of sawnwood increased by 21% overall between 2010 and 2015. This was driven by a 47% increase in apparent consumption in Asia; there was a 3% decrease in Europe over the same period.

Asia consumed around three fifths (61%) of the world’s wood-based panels in 2015, around one fifth (19%) was consumed in Europe and 14% in North & Central America. Apparent consumption of wood-based panels worldwide increased by 38% between 2010 and 2015, largely resulting from increased demand in Asia.

Around one half (49%) of all paper and paperboard in 2015 was consumed in Asia, around one quarter (23%) in Europe and a further one fifth (21%) in North & Central America. At a global level, apparent consumption of paper and paperboard increased by 3% between 2010 and 2015.

Table 9.6 Apparent consumption of wood products by region, 1990-2015

Region 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Sawnwood (million m3)            
Europe            
UK 13 8 10 11 9 10
EU-281 96 80 100 103 90 89
Total Europe 158 109 121 121 110 107
Africa 10 12 10 13 17 19
Asia 112 112 77 97 116 171
North and Central America 119 126 143 166 95 119
Oceania 6 7 8 8 8 8
South America 20 24 27 30 26 25
World 426 390 386 435 372 449
Wood-based panels (million m3)            
Europe            
UK 5 5 6 6 6 6
EU-281 40 41 53 60 55 59
Total Europe 52 47 59 71 69 76
Africa 1 2 2 3 4 5
Asia 25 46 54 99 146 240
North and Central America 44 47 65 73 50 56
Oceania 2 2 3 3 3 4
South America 3 4 6 9 14 14
World 127 147 189 259 285 395
Paper & paperboard (million tonnes)            
Europe            
UK 9 11 12 13 11 9
EU-281 62 68 84 87 85 81
Total Europe 71 73 90 98 95 92
Africa 4 4 5 6 7 8
Asia 62 85 103 134 178 196
North and Central America 88 101 110 107 91 86
Oceania 3 4 5 5 5 4
South America 8 10 12 14 16 17
World 236 277 325 364 391 403

Source: FAO.

Notes:

1. Cyprus is included in EU-28 total but is part of FAO’s Asia region.

These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics

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