History

The ISO 216 is the international paper standard. This standard is used for the size of a sheet of paper. This page is about the history of the ISO 216 standard. The ISO 216 originates from the German DIN standard 476 (DIN 476).

The first time the ratio of length to width was written in a letter dated 25 October 1786. This letter was from the German Georg Christoph Lichtenberg to Johann Beckmann. He wrote here about the advantages of basing paper on a √2 ratio. Lichtenberg is known for the ratio between length and width of a surface which remains the same after the narrated halving of the surface. The result is 1:√2.

History ISO 216: ISO 216 the international standard.

The ISO 216 is used worldwide, except in North America and parts of Latin America. The standard includes the “A”, “B” and “C” series of paper sizes. The A0 size is the most widely used worldwide. The sizes A2, A3, B3, B4 and B5 were developed in France by the mathematician Lazare Carnot. These standards were published during the French Revolution in 1798.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Dr. Walter Porstmann changed Lichtenberg’s idea into a good system of different paper sizes. In 1922 Porstmann introduced his system. The DIN became the standard (DIN 476) in Germany. Porstmann’s standard replaced some other paper systems. The DIN system is used in Germany and Austria.

Acceptance of the ISO 216 standard by a large number of countries.

The DIN 476 system was used in many other countries. Before the Second World War the system was used in the following countries: 

During the Second World War, the ISO standard was adopted by Uruguay (1942), Argentina (1943) and Brazil (1943). After the Second World War the following countries were added:

Since 1975 the German system has officially become the ISO 216 standard.