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What is the Most Common Paper Size in South Africa?

The most widely used size is A4 (210mm x 297mm). It’s the standard for everyday printing, office documents, school exams, and forms.

Need A4 paper? Shop A4 Reams Now

What Does “ISO 216” Mean?

ISO 216 is the international standard that defines paper sizes based on the A-series format. Each size is exactly half the previous one when folded parallel to its shorter side. This creates consistent, proportional sizing—perfect for scaling and printing documents.

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FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Paper Sizes

• What size is A4 in cm and inches?

  A4 paper is 21.0 × 29.7 cm or 8.3 × 11.7 inches.

• Can I print A5 documents on A4 paper?

  Yes! You can scale A5 designs to A4 or print two A5 pages on a single A4 sheet.

• Is A4 the same in all countries?

  A4 is the standard size across South Africa, Europe, and most of the world. The USA uses “Letter” size (8.5 × 11 inches) instead.

• Which paper sizes are used for posters?

  Posters typically use A2, A1, or A0 depending on the desired size and visibility.

• Where can I buy paper in bulk?

  You can order all standard paper sizes from West Coast Office National with free delivery to Saldanha Bay, Langebaan, Vredenburg, and surrounding towns.

A4 page dimensions 210mm x 297mm

Standard paper Sizes A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6

To work out other paper sizes just remember the size of A4.
Standard paper sizes are really easy to work out all you do is half the longest edge to get the next size down, and to go up double the shortest edge
For example:  A4 page size is 210 x 297mm. Half of 297mm is 148mm.
Therefore A5 is 210 x 148mm.  
A3 is 420mm x 297mm, double 210 = 420

It's that simple

We stock all standard paper sizes and types.

Obviously A4 is the most common, but if you need any other type we will source it and deliver it to you.
We also do printing on all paper sizes including A1 Poster printing.

How do paper sizes work?

The international paper size standard ISO 216 was adopted in Europe in the 19th century and is now used in almost all countries throughout the world including South Africa. 
It is based on the German DIN 476 standard for paper sizes. ISO paper sizes are all based on a single aspect ratio of the square root of 2, or approximately 1:1.41421.

The advantage of basing a paper size on an aspect ratio of the square root of 2 is that when a sheet is folded, the length to width ratio does not change.

The A series is the most widely used standard for general printing and letterhead stationery.
The dimensions of the A series paper sizes are defined by the ISO 216.

The most common paper size is A4 (210 x 297mm) and the largest is A0, with an area of 1 square metre.

Standard Paper Sizes (A Series)

Need to check paper sizes? Here's a quick reference for the standard ISO A-series paper dimensions:

• A0 = 1188 × 840 mm

• A1 = 840 × 549 mm

• A2 = 549 × 420 mm

• A3 = 420 × 297 mm

• A4 = 297 × 210 mm

• A5 = 210 × 148.5 mm

• A6 = 148.5 × 105 mm

• A7 = 105 × 74.25 mm

For a visual guide and downloadable version, visit:
Standard Paper Sizes – Pencil.co.za