Tons of iron produced in Europe in selected years 1-1840
Iron production in Europe rose greatly across the Common Era. Around the beginning of this period, it is estimated that between 100,000 and 150,000 tons of iron were produced each year; but this fell significantly throughout the first millennium, to possibly just 5,000 tons in the year 1000. It would take another five centuries for European iron production to reach the same level it had been during Antiquity. There was a significant increase in iron production between 1750 and 1840, during the first industrial revolution, where Europe's iron production grew over 10 times larger in this period.