Paper Sizes

The international standard used for sheet paper sizes is ISO 216 (excluding USA, Canada and Mexico). There are 3 series of size format, and the simplified principles are as follows:

'A' series - the standard paper format, mathematically based so that if you cut one in half parallel to its shortest size, you have 2 of the next size down. This excludes 1/3A4, which is, as it suggests, a sheet of A4 folded into 3 parts. The sizes range from A0, which has an area of one square metre, down to A10

A0..........1189 x 841mm

A1............841 x 594mm

A2............594 x 420mm

A3............420 x 297mm

A4............297 x 210mm

A5............210 x 148mm

1/3A4......210 x 99mm

A6............148 x 105mm

A7............105 x 74mm

A8..............74 x 52mm

A9..............52 x 37mm

A10............37 x 26mm

'B' series - is another format, less commonly used. B series tends to be used in publishing industries for books and posters. As you will see, the same sheet halving principles apply.

B0..........1414 x 1000mm

B1..........1000 x 707mm

B2............707 x 500mm

B3............500 x 353mm

B4............353 x 250mm

B5............250 x 176mm

B6............176 x 125mm

B7............125 x 88mm

B8..............88 x 62mm

B9..............62 x 44mm

B10............44 x 31mm

'C' series - applies to envelopes so that 'A' sizes fit within, again ranging from C0 - C10, plus DL, which is suitable for 1/3A4.

C0..........1297 x 917mm

C1............917 x 648mm

C2............648 x 458mm

C3............458 x 324mm

C4............324 x 229mm

C5............229 x 162mm

C6............162 x 114mm

C7............114 x 81mm

C8..............81 x 57mm

C9..............57 x 40mm

C10............40 x 28mm

DL............110 x 220mm

American Paper Sizes - perhaps one day they will concede and adopt ISO 216! US and Canadian do differ slightly.

US Letter............279 x 216mm

US Legal.............356 x 216mm

US Executive......254 x 190mm