As we close 2025, these numbers provide a useful comparative reference point.

The United States, China, and United Kingdom remain the titans of traditional book publishing, producing 275,232, 208,418, and 186,000 titles annually respectively, according to data compiled by the Times of India.

Published back in the summer, the report resurfaced this week courtesy of the Association of Publishers in India. Sources are not cited, but the list is intriguing enough to warrant examination.

The aforementioned trio leads a top ten that includes Japan (139,078), Indonesia (135,081), Italy (125,948), Russia (115,171), France (106,799), Iran (102,691), and India (90,000).

Methodology Matters

For publishing professionals, these headline figures require careful interpretation. The report appears to count “titles published” rather than ISBN registrations – a crucial distinction. WIPO data reveals the US registered 3.3 million ISBNs in 2022, for example, while the UK registered 153,000 titles – significantly different from the report’s 186,000 figure . Such discrepancies arise because each format (hardback, paperback, ebook) requires separate ISBNs, meaning one title can generate multiple registrations.

The Self-Publishing Blind Spot

Critically, these statistics almost certainly exclude self-published titles – a sector that has transformed the industry landscape. With platforms like Amazon KDP and IngramSpark dominating digital distribution, the true volume of books entering the US and UK markets annually is substantially higher than traditional counts suggest, though precise figures remain elusive. India too has a substantial self-publishing sub-industry.

Market Context

The global publishing industry was valued at $126.9 billion in 2025, encompassing 16,370 businesses and growing at 0.7% annually, according to IBISWorld. (Other estimates vary – there is no concrete figure out there.)

While traditional publishers in leading markets benefit from established distribution networks and institutional support, they operate in an increasingly hybrid ecosystem where independence and traditional routes coexist.

The View From The Beach

For industry stakeholders, these rankings illuminate market depth rather than definitive scale. The US’s leadership reflects both commercial muscle and statistical comprehensiveness, while China’s position is driven by state-supported expansion.

European markets demonstrate resilience through cultural investment, but professionals must recognise that traditional metrics increasingly capture only part of a more complex, digitally-fragmented reality.

As we close 2025, these numbers provide a useful comparative reference point.

The Times of India runs the report to highlight India’s top-ten position, but in fact India may, along with Italy, rank even more highly once self-pubbed production is factored in, given countries like Indonesia, Russia and Iran do not feature strongly in the self-publishing arena.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsletter.