Data released by the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) show that global crude steel production rose 9.3 percent year on year to 104.1 million metric tons in May 2006. China is again the largest steel-producing country with crude steel production of 35.9 million metric tons in May, an increase of 19.6 percent from a year earlier. Japan's crude steel production fell 1.2 percent year on year to 9.9 million metric tons. Total production in the Asia region amounted to 55.3 million metric tons, an increase of 13.1 percent from a year earlier. Total crude steel production in the European Union was 17.5 million metric tons in May. Germany produced 4 million metric tons, Italy 2.8 million metric tons and France 1.8 million metric tons. Brazil's crude steel production fell 9 percent year on year to 2.5 million metric tons in May.
Global crude steel production (in thousands of metric tons) May April May %change 5 months 2006 2005 2005 May-06/05 2006 2005 %change Other Europe 2.816 2.788 2.474 13.8 13.491 12.260 10.0 EU (15) 15.380 14.917 14.304 7.5 73.039 71.855 1.6 EU (25) 17.544 17.017 16.139 8.7 83.477 81.491 2.4 C.I.S 10.245 9.913 9.592 6.8 48.356 47.164 2.5 N.America 11.096 11.117 10.661 4.1 55.177 54.120 2.0 S.America 3.733 3.613 3.951 -5.5 18.015 19.033 -5.3 Africa 1.456 1.439 1.563 -6.8 6.941 7.383 -6.0 MiddleEast 1.254 1.303 1.271 -1.3 6.218 6.055 2.7 Asia 55.280 51.992 48.882 13.1 255.500 227.268 12.4 Ocenia 706 677 706 0.0 3.503 3.545 -1.2 Total 62 104.131 99.860 95.239 9.3 490.678 458.318 7.1 countries