Paper Sizes South Africa: A0-A6 Chart in mm, cm & Inches

The Quick Answer#

South Africa uses the ISO 216 paper size standard (A-series). Here are the most common sizes:

Business cards are not on the A-series: see the business card size (90 × 50 mm).

Need paper sizes for printing? Order online at Printulu — Free delivery within South Africa.

A0, A1 and A2 paper sizes in mm and cm#

A0, A1 and A2 are the large poster sizes. Each one is half of the size above it, so A1 is half of A0 and A2 is half of A1.

A0 is 841 × 1189 mm (84.1 × 118.9 cm). A1 is 594 × 841 mm (59.4 × 84.1 cm). A2 is 420 × 594 mm (42.0 × 59.4 cm). Inches and pixels for every size are in the table at the top of this page.

Printing one of these? See posters.

Jump to a Paper Size#

• 1A0 paper size
• 2A1 paper size
• 3A2 paper size
• 4A3 paper size
• 5A4 paper size
• 6A5 paper size
• 7A6 paper size
• 8Paper grammage guide

Understanding Paper Sizes in South Africa#

South Africa follows the ISO 216 international standard for paper sizes. This means every A-size paper is exactly half the size of the previous one when folded in half.

Here's how it works:

• 1A0 is the largest standard size (841 × 1189 mm) — roughly 1 square metre
• 2A1 is half of A0
• 3A2 is half of A1
• 4A3 is half of A2
• 5A4 is half of A3 (the most common size)
• 6A5 is half of A4
• 7A6 is half of A5
• 8A7 is half of A6
• 9A8 is half of A7

This halving pattern means every A-size paper has the same aspect ratio (1:√2 or approximately 1:1.414). This is why you can scale documents between sizes without distortion.

Complete A-Series Paper Size Chart#

Here's every A-size paper dimension in millimetres, centimetres, and inches:

A0 Paper Size#

A0 dimensions: 841 × 1189 mm (84.1 × 118.9 cm, 33.1 × 46.8 inches)

A0 is the largest standard A-series size and is used for large plans, technical drawings, posters, wall charts, and display graphics. Because A0 is too large for standard office printers, it usually needs professional large-format printing.

Printulu prints at A0: Posters, Stickers.

A1 Paper Size#

A1 dimensions: 594 × 841 mm (59.4 × 84.1 cm, 23.4 × 33.1 inches)

A1 is half the size of A0 and twice the size of A2. In South Africa, A1 is commonly used for posters, architectural drawings, retail displays, classroom charts, and presentation boards.

Printulu prints at A1: Posters, Wall Calendars, Stickers.

A2 Paper Size#

A2 dimensions: 420 × 594 mm (42.0 × 59.4 cm, 16.5 × 23.4 inches)

A2 is half the size of A1 and twice the size of A3. It works well for medium posters, presentation graphics, signage, diagrams, and menu boards where A3 is too small but A1 is too large.

Printulu prints at A2: Posters, Wall Calendars, Stickers.

A3 Paper Size#

A3 dimensions: 297 × 420 mm (29.7 × 42.0 cm, 11.7 × 16.5 inches)

A3 is twice the size of A4 and is commonly used for:

• 1Posters — Small promotional posters and event flyers
• 2Diagrams and charts — Technical drawings, architectural plans
• 3Presentations — Flip charts, presentation boards
• 4Menus — Restaurant menus and food catalogues
• 5Certificates — Award certificates and diplomas

Printing tip: A3 is the largest size most standard office printers can handle. For larger sizes (A2, A1, A0), you'll need a professional printing service like Printulu.

Printulu prints at A3: Posters, Folded Leaflets, Wall Calendars, Stickers.

A4 Paper Size#

A4 dimensions: 210 × 297 mm (21.0 × 29.7 cm, 8.3 × 11.7 inches)

A4 is the most common paper size in South Africa and is used for:

• 1Letters and documents — Standard business correspondence
• 2Flyers and leaflets — Promotional materials and handouts
• 3Reports — Business reports and academic papers
• 4Magazines — Standard magazine format
• 5Forms — Application forms and invoices

Fun fact: A4 is the default paper size in South Africa, Europe, Australia, and most of the world. The US and Canada use "Letter" size (8.5 × 11 inches) instead, which is slightly wider and shorter than A4.

Printulu prints at A4: Posters, Flyers, Folded Leaflets, Letterheads, Notepads, Stickers.

A5 Paper Size#

A5 dimensions: 148 × 210 mm (14.8 × 21.0 cm, 5.8 × 8.3 inches)

A5 is half the size of A4 and is commonly used for:

• 1Booklets and brochures — Small brochures and product catalogues
• 2Notepads — Personal notepads and journals
• 3Flyers — Half-page flyers and handouts
• 4Invitations — Wedding and event invitations
• 5Programmes — Event programmes and theatre playbills

Printulu prints at A5: Flyers, Folded Leaflets, Postcards, Invitations, Letterheads, Notepads, Stickers.

A6 Paper Size#

A6 dimensions: 105 × 148 mm (10.5 × 14.8 cm, 4.1 × 5.8 inches)

A6 is half the size of A5 and is commonly used for:

• 1Postcards — Mailing postcards and promotional cards
• 2Thank you cards — Greeting cards and thank you notes
• 3Tickets — Event tickets and raffle tickets
• 4Labels — Product labels and address labels

Printulu prints at A6: Flyers, Folded Leaflets, Postcards, Invitations, Letterheads, Notepads.

B-Series Paper Sizes#

The B-series is less common but used for specific applications:

C-Series Paper Sizes (Envelopes)#

C-series sizes are designed to fit A-series paper:

Paper Weight (GSM) Guide#

Paper size is only half the story. Paper weight (GSM) determines how thick and sturdy the paper feels:

Not sure which paper weight to use? Our paper grammage guide compares the common GSM options for each print job.

Common Printing Applications by Paper Size#

Ready to print? Order online at Printulu — Free delivery within South Africa.

Need help with your print files? Check our Artwork Requirements guide to ensure your files are print-ready.