Paper sizes come in all shapes and sizes. In Europe, A4 is the most commonly used paper. However, the well-known A and B series aren’t standard on every continent. In the United States, for example, American paper sizes are used. Not only are the names different, but so are the dimensions. In America, 8.5 x 11 inches is the most recognized paper size, known as US Letter. And that’s where the second key difference arises: paper sizes in the US are displayed in inches instead of the centimeters used in most other countries. You can read more about American paper sizes here.
Paper sizes in America
So, in America, things are a bit different. Instead of A4, the US Letter is the standard (8.5 x 11 inches). This size is slightly wider and shorter than A4, measuring 215.9 x 279.4 mm. For formal letters, Legal size is the standard (215.9 x 356 mm), which is longer than Letter. Both are slightly different from A4, the international standard. Similarly, the American version of A3 paper, the Ledger/Tabloid, has different dimensions: 279.4 x 431.8 mm, compared to the 297 x 420 mm of A3 paper.
The biggest disadvantage of American paper sizes is the lack of a single standard. This makes it difficult to enlarge or reduce a print because the proportions aren’t consistent with the standard A-series. That’s why you’ll find a table with American paper sizes below.
Paper size: Dimensions in inches Dimensions in mm
Size | inch × inch | mm × mm | AR |
---|---|---|---|
Ledger | 17 × 11 | 432 × 279 | 0.647 |
Tabloid Extra, Extra Tabloide | 12 × 18 | 305 × 457 | 3∶2 |
European EDP | 12 × 14 | 305 × 356 | 7∶6 |
Tabloid, Doble Carta | 11 × 17 | 279 × 432 | 1.545 |
11 × 15 | 11 × 15 | 279 × 381 | 15∶11 |
Fanfold | 11 × 14 7⁄8 | 279 × 378 | 1.352 |
EDP | 11 × 14 | 279 × 356 | 1.273 |
11 × 12 | 11 × 12 | 279 × 305 | 12∶11 |
10 × 14 | 10 × 14 | 254 × 356 | 7∶5 |
10 × 13 | 10 × 13 | 254 × 330 | 1.3 |
10 × 11 | 10 × 11 | 254 × 279 | 10∶11 |
Legal Extra | 9 1⁄2 × 15 | 241 × 381 | 1.579 |
Letter Extra | 9 1⁄2 × 12 | 241 × 305 | 1.263 |
Letter Tab, 9 × 11 | 9 × 11 | 229 × 279 | 11∶9 |
Legal | 8 1⁄2 × 14 | 216 × 356 | 1.647 |
Oficio | 8 1⁄2 × 13 2⁄5 | 216 × 340 | 1.576 |
Foolscap Folio | 8 1⁄2 × 13 | 216 × 330 | 1.529 |
Letter Plus | 8 1⁄2 × 12 2⁄3 | 216 × 322 | 1.49 |
European Fanfold | 8 1⁄2 × 12 | 216 × 305 | 1.412 |
Letter, Carta | 8 1⁄2 × 11 | 216 × 279 | 1.294 |
Quarto | 8 1⁄2 × 10 5⁄6 | 216 × 275 | 1.275 |
Government Legal | 8 × 13 | 203 × 330 | ϕ∶1 |
Demitab | 8 × 10 1⁄2 | 203 × 267 | 1.313 |
Government Letter, 8 × 10 | 8 × 10 | 203 × 254 | 5∶4 |
Executive | 7 1⁄4 × 10 1⁄2 | 184 × 267 | 1.448 |
7 × 9 | 7 × 9 | 178 × 229 | 1.286 |
Memo, Statement, Mini, Invoice, Stationary, Half Letter | 5 1⁄2 × 8 1⁄2 | 140 × 216 | 1.545 |
Junior Legal | 5 × 8 | 127 × 203 | 8∶5 |
5 × 7 | 5 × 7 | 127 × 178 | 7∶5 |