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Know your Paper Sizes

This page lists common paper sizes used in South Africa, including the ISO standards. All dimensions are defined in inches, millimeters as well as PostScript points (always rounded off). This overview covers:
  • ISO page sizes. (Featuring the ever popular A4, but also SRA press sheet sizes.)
  • English sheet sizes for book printing.
ISO A paper sizes
The A-series consists of a logical set of paper sizes that are defined by the ISO 216 standard. The largest size (A0) measures one square meter. The height/width ratio remains constant (1:1.41) for all sizes. This means you get the A1 size by folding an A0 paper in two along its shortest side. Then fold the A1 size in two to get an A2 size paper, and so on… A-sizes are used to define the finished paper size in commercial printing. A4 is used for office documents. A6 is used for postcards.
A-Series Millimeters Inches Points
Height Width Height Width Height Width
A0 1189 841 46.81 33.11 3370 2384
A1 841 594 33.11 23.39 2384 1684
A2 594 420 23.39 16.54 1684 1190
A3 420 297 16.54 11.69 1190 842
A4 297 210 11.69 8.27 842 595
A5 210 148 8.27 5.83 595 420
A6 148 105 5.83 4.13 420 298
A7 105 74 4.13 2.91 298 209
ISO B paper sizes
The same logic from the A-sizes also applies for the B-series, except here the starting point was the dimension of one of the sides, which starts at 1 meter. B-sizes are often used for posters.
B-Series Millimeters Inches Points
Height Width Height Width Height Width
B0 1414 1000 55.67 39.37 4008 2835
B1 1000 707 39.37 27.83 2835 2004
B2 707 500 27.83 19.69 2004 1417
B3 500 353 19.69 13.90 1417 1001
B4 353 250 13.90 9.84 1001 709
B5 250 176 9.84 6.93 709 499
B6 176 125 6.93 4.92 499 354
B7 125 88 4.92 3.46 354 249
B8 88 62 3.46 2.44 249 176
B9 62 44 2.44 1.73 176 125
B10 44 31 1.73 1.22 125 88
ISO C paper sizes
C-sizes are used for envelopes to match the A-series paper.
We have omitted unrealistic sizes like C0. (Imagine an envelope measuring 917 by 1297 millimetres!)
C-Series Millimeters Inches Points
Height Width Height Width Height Width
C2 458 648 18.03 25.51 578 1837
C3 324 458 12.76 18.03 919 578
C4 229 324 9.02 12.76 649 919
C5 162 229 6.38 9.02 459 649
C6 114 162 4.49 6.38 323 459
UK metric book printing sizes
For books A-sizes often aren’t used because A4 is too large and A5 too small. Metric Royal Octavo and Metric Crown Quarto are 2 frequently used sizes that are more comfortable to hold and read.
UK metric book size Millimeters Inches Points
Height Width Height Width Height Width
Metric Crown Quarto 246 189 9 11/16 7 7/16 697 536
Metric Crown Octavo 186 123 7 5/16 4 13/16 527 349
Metric Large Crown Quarto 258 201 10 3/16 7 7/8 731 570
Metric Large Crown Octavo 198 129 7 13/16 5 1/16 561 366
Metric Demy Quarto 276 219 10 7/8 8 5/8 782 621
Metric Demy Octavo 216 138 8 1/2 5 7/16 612 391
Metric Royal Quarto 312 237 12 1/4 9 5/16 884 672
Metric Royal Octavo 198 129 7 13/16 5 1/16 561 366