Paper industry at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. The world production of paper in the 20lh century was doubled on average every 15 years, reaching in 2000 the amount of 330 m tons. This trend has been maintained also now, at the beginning of the 21st century. This production develops mainly in countries of North America and Europe. The factors have been presented which determine the provision of indispensable raw materials based mainly on acquisition of wood and its rational use, including the development of plantations, changed structure of the types of produced fibrous pulps, rational use of waste paper.