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Apparent consumption (defined as production + imports – exports) of wood products around the world totalled 435 million m3 sawnwood, 383 million m3 wood-based panels and 398 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2014 (Table 9.6).

Almost two fifths (38%) of all sawnwood in 2014 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 17% overall between 2010 and 2014. This was driven by a 43% increase in apparent consumption in Asia; there was a 4% decrease in Europe over the same period.

Asia consumed around three fifths (60%) of the world’s wood-based panels in 2014, around one fifth (20%) was consumed in Europe and 14% in North & Central America. Apparent consumption of wood-based panels worldwide increased by 34% between 2010 and 2014, largely resulting from increased demand in Asia.

Almost one half (48%) of all paper and paperboard in 2014 was consumed in Asia, around one quarter (23%) in Europe and a further one fifth (22%)in North & Central America. At a global level, apparent consumption of paper and paperboard increased by 2% between 2010 and 2014.

Table 9.6 Apparent consumption of wood products by region, 1990-2014
Region 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2014
Sawnwood (million m3)
Europe
UK 13 8 10 11 9 10
EU-281 96 80 100 103 90 84
Total Europe 158 109 121 121 110 106
Africa 10 12 10 13 17 17
Asia 112 112 77 97 116 166
North and Central America 119 126 143 166 95 112
Oceania 6 7 8 8 8 8
South America 20 24 28 31 27 26
World 426 390 387 436 372 435
Wood-based panels (million m3)
Europe
UK 5 5 6 6 6 6
EU-281 40 41 53 60 56 55
Total Europe 52 47 59 71 69 75
Africa 1 2 2 3 4 5
Asia 25 46 54 99 146 231
North and Central America 44 47 65 73 49 52
Oceania 2 2 3 3 3 3
South America 3 4 6 9 14 15
World 127 147 189 259 285 383
Paper & paperboard (million tonnes)
Europe
UK 9 11 12 13 11 9
EU-281 62 68 84 87 85 74
Total Europe 71 73 90 98 95 92
Africa 4 4 5 6 7 8
Asia 62 85 103 134 178 190
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 236 277 325 364 391 398

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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