China
Visualizing 50 Years of Global Steel Production
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Visualizing 50 Years of Global Steel Production
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From the bronze age to the iron age, metals have defined eras of human history. If our current era had to be defined similarly, it would undoubtedly be known as the steel age.
Steel is the foundation of our buildings, vehicles, and industries, with its rates of production and consumption often seen as markers for a nationโs development. Today, it is the worldโs most commonly used metal and most recycled material, with 1,864 million metric tons of crude steel produced in 2020.
This infographic uses data from the World Steel Association to visualize 50 years of crude steel production, showcasing our worldโs unrelenting creation of this essential material.
The State of Steel Production
Global steel production has more than tripled over the past 50 years, despite nations like the U.S. and Russia scaling down their domestic production and relying more on imports. Meanwhile, China and India have consistently grown their production to become the top two steel producing nations.
Below are the worldโs current top crude steel producing nations by 2020 production.
Rank | Country | Steel Production (2020, Mt) |
---|---|---|
#1 | ๐จ๐ณ China | 1,053.0 |
#2 | ๐ฎ๐ณ India | 99.6 |
#3 | ๐ฏ๐ต Japan | 83.2 |
#4 | ๐ท๐บ Russia* | 73.4 |
#5 | ๐บ๐ธ United States | 72.7 |
#6 | ๐ฐ๐ท South Korea | 67.1 |
#7 | ๐น๐ท Turkey | 35.8 |
#8 | ๐ฉ๐ช Germany | 35.7 |
#9 | ๐ง๐ท Brazil | 31.0 |
#10 | ๐ฎ๐ท Iran* | 29.0 |
Source: World Steel Association. *Estimates.
Despite its current dominance, China could be preparing to scale back domestic steel production to curb overproduction risks and ensure it can reach carbon neutrality by 2060.
As iron ore and steel prices have skyrocketed in the last year, U.S. demand could soon lessen depending on the Biden administrationโs actions. A potential infrastructure bill would bring investment into Americaโs steel mills to build supply for the future, and any walkbalk on the Trump administrationโs 2018 tariffs on imported steel could further soften supply constraints.
Steelโs Secret: Infinite Recyclability
Made up primarily of iron ore, steel is an alloy which also contains less than 2% carbon and 1% manganese and other trace elements. While the defining difference might seem small, steel can be 1,000x stronger than iron.
However, steelโs true strength lies in its infinite recyclability with no loss of quality. No matter the grade or application, steel can always be recycled, with new steel products containing 30% recycled steel on average.
The alloyโs magnetic properties make it easy to recover from waste streams, and nearly 100% of the steel industryโs co-products can be used in other manufacturing or electricity generation.
Itโs fitting then that steel makes up essential parts of various sustainable energy technologies:
- The average wind turbine is made of 80% steel on average (140 metric tons).
- Steel is used in the base, pumps, tanks, and heat exchangers of solar power installations.
- Electrical steel is at the heart of the generators and motors of electric and hybrid vehicles.
The Steel Industryโs Future Sustainability
Considering the crucial role steel plays in just about every industry, itโs no wonder that prices are surging to record highs. However, steel producers are thinking about long-term sustainability, and are working to make fossil-fuel-free steel a reality by completely removing coal from the metallurgical process.
While the industry has already cut down the average energy intensity per metric ton produced from 50 gigajoules to 20 gigajoules since the 1960s, steel-producing giants like ArcelorMittal are going further and laying out their plans for carbon-neutral steel production by 2050.
Steel consumption and demand is only set to continue rising as the worldโs economy gradually reopens, especially as Rio Tintoโs new development of atomized steel powder could bring about the next evolution in 3D printing.
As the industry continues to innovate in both sustainability and usability, steel will continue to be a vital material across industries that we can infinitely recycle and rely on.
China
Ranked: The Cities with the Most Skyscrapers in 2023
We rank the world’s leading cities with the most skyscrapers, highlighting China’s remarkable dominance in building vertically.

Ranked: The Cities with the Most Skyscrapers in 2023
When it comes to soaring skylines and architectural marvels, no country has embraced the vertical revolution quite like China.
In this graphic, which uses data from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), we reveal the 25 cities with the most skyscrapers and supertall buildings globally.
Unsurprisingly, China’s cities dominate the list, solidifying the country’s reputation as a global powerhouse of tall buildings.
The 25 Top Cities by Skyscraper Count
Topping the charts is Hong Kong, with an impressive 657 skyscrapers, including six supertalls (buildings over 300 meters tall).
Rank | City | Country | Skyscrapers (>150m) | Supertalls (>300m) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hong Kong | ๐จ๐ณ China | 657 | 6 |
2 | Shenzhen | ๐จ๐ณ China | 513 | 16 |
3 | New York City | ๐บ๐ธ United States | 421 | 16 |
4 | Dubai | ๐ฆ๐ช United Arab Emirates | 395 | 28 |
5 | Guangzhou | ๐จ๐ณ China | 254 | 11 |
6 | Shanghai | ๐จ๐ณ China | 250 | 5 |
7 | Kuala Lumpur | ๐ฒ๐พ Malaysia | 211 | 5 |
8 | Chongqing | ๐จ๐ณ China | 205 | 5 |
9 | Tokyo | ๐ฏ๐ต Japan | 200 | 0 |
10 | Wuhan | ๐จ๐ณ China | 183 | 5 |
11 | Chicago | ๐บ๐ธ United States | 178 | 7 |
12 | Jakarta | ๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia | 160 | 1 |
13 | Chengdu | ๐จ๐ณ China | 150 | 0 |
14 | Bangkok | ๐น๐ญ Thailand | 133 | 3 |
15 | Shenyang | ๐จ๐ณ China | 129 | 3 |
16 | Singapore | ๐ธ๐ฌ Singapore | 128 | 0 |
17 | Nanning | ๐จ๐ณ China | 122 | 6 |
18 | Mumbai | ๐ฎ๐ณ India | 114 | 0 |
19 | Tianjin | ๐จ๐ณ China | 109 | 3 |
20 | Nanjing | ๐จ๐ณ China | 108 | 7 |
21 | Toronto | ๐จ๐ฆ Canada | 106 | 0 |
22 | Busan | ๐ฐ๐ท South Korea | 106 | 4 |
23 | Seoul | ๐ฐ๐ท South Korea | 104 | 2 |
24 | Changsha | ๐จ๐ณ China | 97 | 5 |
25 | Melbourne | ๐ฆ๐บ Australia | 94 | 1 |
Hong Kong, along with Shenzhen (#2), and Guangzhou (#5) are part of the burgeoning megacity known as the Pearl River Delta, which is home to over 1,500 skyscrapers. This is even more impressive when considering that Shenzhen was a small fishing village until the 1970s.
New York City secures the third position on the list, boasting an impressive tally of 421 skyscrapers. Although it may have relinquished its title to Chinese cities, the city’s skyline endures as a globally renowned symbol, prominently featuring the iconic Empire State Building. Notably, while the Empire State Building enjoys widespread familiarity, it no longer ranks among the world’s 50 tallest structures.
Rounding out the top five is Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, which grabs the fourth position with 395 skyscrapers, a staggering 28 of which are supertalls. This desert oasis has become synonymous with grandiose architecture and record-breaking structures, exemplified by the Burj Khalifa, which is the world’s current tallest building at 828 meters (2,715 ft).
China’s Numbers in Context
Looking at this data from another perspective, China actually has more skyscrapers on this list than the rest of the world combined.
Country | Cities in Top 25 | Skyscrapers | Supertalls |
---|---|---|---|
๐จ๐ณ China | 12 | 2777 | 72 |
๐ Rest of World | 13 | 2350 | 67 |
China’s rapid urbanization, economic growth, and ambitious construction projects have fueled this impressive feat. There’s no doubt that the country’s relentless pursuit of vertical development, coupled with its booming population and thriving cities, has positioned China as the unrivaled leader in the global skyscraper race.
The Future of the Global Skyline
As the world continues to reach new heights in architectural marvels, there are even more supertall skyscrapers in the pipeline that will reshape skylines across the globe.
From the soaring Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, poised to surpass the Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building, to the remarkable Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, which is set to claim the title of the world’s second-tallest structure when it opens in June 2023, these projects will captivate city dwellers for years to come.
Even as these new monumental buildings rise, China’s prominence in the world of skyscrapersโwith three cities in the top five globallyโis likely to remain unchallenged.
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