Population · Asia
China population 2026
Right now · estimate
China population right now
1,411,802,091
- Births today
- 0
- Deaths today
- 0
- Births this year
- 7,237,486
- Births minus deaths this year
- -2,397,168
China has an estimated 1,412,914,089 people on 1 July 2026, the UN's projection, 3,182,005 fewer than a year earlier (−0.22%). It is the 2nd most populous country in the world. Its population peaked in 2021 at 1.43 billion and is projected to fall to 1.26 billion by 2050.
UN projection The counter interpolates the UN’s 1 July figures to the second; it is an estimate, not a count.
China in numbers, 2026
- Births in 2026
- 8.6 million 23,615 a day
- Deaths in 2026
- 11.5 million 31,437 a day
- Net migration
- −232 thousand more departures than arrivals
- Growth rate
- −0.22% shrinking
- Fertility rate
- 1.03per woman below replacement (2.1)
- Median age
- 40.6years world: 31.1
- Life expectancy
- 79.0years
- Aged 65 and over
- 15.1% 30.9% by 2050
Land, people and health
- Capital
- Beijing
- Area
- 9,596,960 km² 4th largest of 237
- Population density
- 147per km² 90th most crowded
- Urban population
- 66.8% 89.7% by 2050
- Men and women
- 719 million / 694 million 103.6 men per 100 women
- Life expectancy, women
- 81.8years men: 76.4 years
- Infant mortality
- 5.4per 1,000 births under-5: 6.8
- Birth rate
- 6.1per 1,000 death rate: 8.1
- Net migration rate
- −0.2per 1,000 net departures
Population of China, 1950–2100
Peaked in 2021 at 1.43 billion. By 2050: 1.26 billion (−10.8% from today).
- UN estimate
- UN projection
633M 2026
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 544,044,358 |
| 1951 | 553,758,247 |
| 1952 | 565,131,438 |
| 1953 | 577,557,138 |
| 1954 | 590,113,858 |
| 1955 | 603,547,007 |
| 1956 | 616,558,582 |
| 1957 | 630,356,208 |
| 1958 | 644,219,479 |
| 1959 | 652,708,217 |
| 1960 | 654,802,069 |
| 1961 | 655,773,486 |
| 1962 | 665,073,691 |
| 1963 | 684,552,646 |
| 1964 | 704,798,265 |
| 1965 | 723,415,733 |
| 1966 | 742,402,213 |
| 1967 | 761,026,026 |
| 1968 | 781,011,025 |
| 1969 | 802,140,332 |
| 1970 | 823,308,967 |
| 1971 | 844,069,867 |
| 1972 | 863,677,814 |
| 1973 | 882,576,946 |
| 1974 | 900,307,582 |
| 1975 | 916,116,793 |
| 1976 | 930,372,292 |
| 1977 | 943,546,375 |
| 1978 | 956,161,484 |
| 1979 | 969,288,070 |
| 1980 | 983,163,542 |
| 1981 | 997,721,071 |
| 1982 | 1,013,588,179 |
| 1983 | 1,029,064,956 |
| 1984 | 1,043,849,638 |
| 1985 | 1,059,807,820 |
| 1986 | 1,077,233,607 |
| 1987 | 1,096,217,446 |
| 1988 | 1,115,244,165 |
| 1989 | 1,133,991,008 |
| 1990 | 1,153,582,724 |
| 1991 | 1,170,788,528 |
| 1992 | 1,184,574,237 |
| 1993 | 1,197,308,575 |
| 1994 | 1,209,003,096 |
| 1995 | 1,220,133,928 |
| 1996 | 1,230,944,812 |
| 1997 | 1,241,139,622 |
| 1998 | 1,250,847,126 |
| 1999 | 1,260,176,655 |
| 2000 | 1,269,581,175 |
| 2001 | 1,278,725,062 |
| 2002 | 1,286,866,839 |
| 2003 | 1,294,517,326 |
| 2004 | 1,302,100,316 |
| 2005 | 1,310,027,136 |
| 2006 | 1,318,054,036 |
| 2007 | 1,325,813,582 |
| 2008 | 1,333,821,016 |
| 2009 | 1,342,522,716 |
| 2010 | 1,351,561,514 |
| 2011 | 1,360,250,664 |
| 2012 | 1,369,520,864 |
| 2013 | 1,379,008,040 |
| 2014 | 1,387,951,972 |
| 2015 | 1,396,134,174 |
| 2016 | 1,404,052,632 |
| 2017 | 1,412,354,727 |
| 2018 | 1,419,008,956 |
| 2019 | 1,423,520,357 |
| 2020 | 1,426,106,093 |
| 2021 | 1,426,437,267 |
| 2022 | 1,425,179,569 |
| 2023 | 1,422,584,933 |
| 2024 * | 1,419,321,278 |
| 2025 * | 1,416,096,094 |
| 2026 * | 1,412,914,089 |
| 2027 * | 1,409,679,406 |
| 2028 * | 1,406,136,744 |
| 2029 * | 1,402,282,752 |
| 2030 * | 1,398,153,832 |
| 2031 * | 1,393,748,670 |
| 2032 * | 1,389,060,032 |
| 2033 * | 1,384,096,521 |
| 2034 * | 1,378,876,934 |
| 2035 * | 1,373,427,531 |
| 2036 * | 1,367,742,785 |
| 2037 * | 1,361,830,063 |
| 2038 * | 1,355,722,707 |
| 2039 * | 1,349,394,718 |
| 2040 * | 1,342,816,657 |
| 2041 * | 1,335,990,232 |
| 2042 * | 1,328,909,238 |
| 2043 * | 1,321,590,798 |
| 2044 * | 1,314,015,987 |
| 2045 * | 1,306,113,788 |
| 2046 * | 1,297,817,582 |
| 2047 * | 1,289,120,427 |
| 2048 * | 1,279,992,585 |
| 2049 * | 1,270,381,145 |
| 2050 * | 1,260,289,093 |
| 2051 * | 1,249,692,538 |
| 2052 * | 1,238,557,132 |
| 2053 * | 1,226,929,854 |
| 2054 * | 1,214,853,346 |
| 2055 * | 1,202,342,471 |
| 2056 * | 1,189,440,669 |
| 2057 * | 1,176,217,945 |
| 2058 * | 1,162,722,708 |
| 2059 * | 1,149,002,168 |
| 2060 * | 1,135,127,190 |
| 2061 * | 1,121,174,717 |
| 2062 * | 1,107,207,133 |
| 2063 * | 1,093,276,704 |
| 2064 * | 1,079,407,882 |
| 2065 * | 1,065,632,529 |
| 2066 * | 1,051,989,135 |
| 2067 * | 1,038,472,818 |
| 2068 * | 1,025,103,452 |
| 2069 * | 1,011,878,190 |
| 2070 * | 998,784,319 |
| 2071 * | 985,806,560 |
| 2072 * | 972,905,671 |
| 2073 * | 960,055,383 |
| 2074 * | 947,249,417 |
| 2075 * | 934,466,660 |
| 2076 * | 921,677,630 |
| 2077 * | 908,874,532 |
| 2078 * | 896,043,789 |
| 2079 * | 883,166,975 |
| 2080 * | 870,252,344 |
| 2081 * | 857,328,714 |
| 2082 * | 844,439,196 |
| 2083 * | 831,604,668 |
| 2084 * | 818,815,356 |
| 2085 * | 806,115,054 |
| 2086 * | 793,559,254 |
| 2087 * | 781,153,718 |
| 2088 * | 768,899,132 |
| 2089 * | 756,809,110 |
| 2090 * | 744,902,836 |
| 2091 * | 733,179,456 |
| 2092 * | 721,612,750 |
| 2093 * | 710,185,968 |
| 2094 * | 698,893,770 |
| 2095 * | 687,724,085 |
| 2096 * | 676,660,877 |
| 2097 * | 665,695,504 |
| 2098 * | 654,825,389 |
| 2099 * | 644,049,400 |
| 2100 * | 633,368,113 |
* UN projection
Population of China by year
1.27 billion in 2000, 1.41 billion in 2026. Every year for the last decade, then every five years to 1950. * UN projection; earlier years are UN estimates.
| Year | Population | Yearly change | Change | Net migrants | Median age | Fertility | Density (km²) | Urban | World share | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 1,412,914,089 | −0.22% | −3,182,005 | −232,107 | 40.6 | 1.03 | 147 | 67% | 17.02% | 2 |
| 2025* | 1,416,096,094 | −0.23% | −3,225,184 | −268,126 | 40.1 | 1.02 | 148 | 66% | 17.20% | 2 |
| 2024* | 1,419,321,278 | −0.23% | −3,263,655 | −318,992 | 39.6 | 1.01 | 148 | 66% | 17.39% | 2 |
| 2023 | 1,422,584,933 | −0.18% | −2,594,636 | −567,724 | 39.1 | 1.00 | 148 | 66% | 17.58% | 2 |
| 2022 | 1,425,179,569 | −0.09% | −1,257,698 | −293,846 | 38.5 | 1.03 | 148 | 65% | 17.77% | 2 |
| 2021 | 1,426,437,267 | +0.02% | +331,174 | −379,749 | 38.0 | 1.12 | 149 | 65% | 17.93% | 1 |
| 2020 | 1,426,106,093 | +0.18% | +2,585,736 | −91,577 | 37.5 | 1.24 | 149 | 64% | 18.08% | 1 |
| 2019 | 1,423,520,357 | +0.32% | +4,511,401 | −656,091 | 37.0 | 1.50 | 148 | 63% | 18.22% | 1 |
| 2018 | 1,419,008,956 | +0.47% | +6,654,229 | −198,206 | 36.6 | 1.54 | 148 | 62% | 18.36% | 1 |
| 2017 | 1,412,354,727 | +0.59% | +8,302,095 | −94,625 | 36.3 | 1.80 | 147 | 60% | 18.47% | 1 |
| 2016 | 1,404,052,632 | +0.57% | +7,918,458 | −153,056 | 36.0 | 1.77 | 146 | 59% | 18.58% | 1 |
| 2015 | 1,396,134,174 | +0.59% | +8,182,202 | −646,941 | 35.7 | 1.67 | 145 | 57% | 18.69% | 1 |
| 2010 | 1,351,561,514 | +0.67% | +9,038,798 | −184,144 | 34.1 | 1.69 | 141 | 49% | 19.25% | 1 |
| 2005 | 1,310,027,136 | +0.61% | +7,926,820 | −103,701 | 31.8 | 1.62 | 136 | 43% | 19.89% | 1 |
| 2000 | 1,269,581,175 | +0.75% | +9,404,520 | −62,622 | 29.0 | 1.63 | 132 | 36% | 20.57% | 1 |
| 1995 | 1,220,133,928 | +0.92% | +11,130,832 | −365,986 | 26.1 | 1.59 | 127 | 29% | 21.19% | 1 |
| 1990 | 1,153,582,724 | +1.73% | +19,591,716 | −11,187 | 23.7 | 2.51 | 120 | 26% | 21.65% | 1 |
| 1985 | 1,059,807,820 | +1.53% | +15,958,182 | −60,929 | 21.7 | 2.63 | 110 | 24% | 21.77% | 1 |
| 1980 | 983,163,542 | +1.43% | +13,875,472 | −20,129 | 20.9 | 2.74 | 102 | 19% | 22.11% | 1 |
| 1975 | 916,116,793 | +1.76% | +15,809,211 | −115,173 | 19.1 | 3.57 | 95 | 17% | 22.50% | 1 |
| 1970 | 823,308,967 | +2.64% | +21,168,635 | −126,510 | 18.0 | 6.08 | 86 | 17% | 22.28% | 1 |
| 1965 | 723,415,733 | +2.64% | +18,617,468 | −130,900 | 18.5 | 6.61 | 75 | 18% | 21.69% | 1 |
| 1960 | 654,802,069 | +0.32% | +2,093,852 | −16,927 | 19.9 | 4.45 | 68 | 20% | 21.71% | 1 |
| 1955 | 603,547,007 | +2.28% | +13,433,149 | −2,402 | 20.7 | 6.26 | 63 | 14% | 22.03% | 1 |
| 1950 | 544,044,358 | – | – | −20,646 | 22.2 | 5.81 | 57 | 11% | 21.82% | 1 |
Population forecast for China
UN medium-variant projection: 1.26 billion in 2050 (−10.8% from 2026), 633 million in 2100.
| Year | Population | Yearly change | Net migrants | Median age | Fertility | Density (km²) | Urban | World share | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 1,398,153,832 | −0.29% | −199,192 | 42.9 | 1.06 | 146 | 69% | 16.32% | 2 |
| 2035 | 1,373,427,531 | −0.40% | −213,426 | 45.8 | 1.10 | 143 | 73% | 15.46% | 2 |
| 2040 | 1,342,816,657 | −0.49% | −206,247 | 48.6 | 1.13 | 140 | 77% | 14.63% | 2 |
| 2045 | 1,306,113,788 | −0.60% | −191,600 | 50.6 | 1.16 | 136 | 83% | 13.84% | 2 |
| 2050 | 1,260,289,093 | −0.79% | −171,498 | 52.1 | 1.18 | 131 | 90% | 13.04% | 2 |
| 2060 | 1,135,127,190 | −1.21% | −173,618 | 54.7 | 1.23 | 118 | – | 11.36% | 2 |
| 2070 | 998,784,319 | −1.29% | −121,007 | 57.7 | 1.27 | 104 | – | 9.80% | 2 |
| 2080 | 870,252,344 | −1.46% | −117,490 | 61.4 | 1.29 | 91 | – | 8.46% | 2 |
| 2090 | 744,902,836 | −1.57% | −86,894 | 61.4 | 1.32 | 78 | – | 7.25% | 2 |
| 2100 | 633,368,113 | −1.66% | −77,792 | 60.7 | 1.35 | 66 | – | 6.22% | 2 |
Largest cities in China
Urban area in 2026: the whole built-up city, measured the same way for every country (UN, 2025). * UN projection. Largest cities in the world
| # | City | Population 2026 | 2050* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shanghai | 29,906,570 | 34,912,186 |
| 2 | Guangzhou | 27,739,195 | 29,243,076 |
| 3 | Beijing (capital) | 17,127,344 | 18,004,156 |
| 4 | Shenzhen | 13,957,317 | 14,660,570 |
| 5 | Suzhou | 7,741,751 | 7,639,262 |
| 6 | Hangzhou | 7,627,713 | 9,624,602 |
| 7 | Tianjin | 7,318,511 | 7,645,279 |
| 8 | Wuhan | 7,317,134 | 6,157,042 |
| 9 | Chongqing | 7,029,204 | 6,080,495 |
| 10 | Nanjing | 6,793,988 | 6,316,820 |
| 11 | Chaozhou | 6,446,205 | 6,836,503 |
| 12 | Chengdu | 6,107,666 | 5,216,765 |
| 13 | Shenyang | 5,679,026 | 5,052,402 |
| 14 | Xi'an | 5,216,357 | 4,744,642 |
| 15 | Zhengzhou | 4,867,461 | 4,438,815 |
| 16 | Hefei | 4,864,171 | 4,484,853 |
| 17 | Harbin | 4,370,578 | 4,140,927 |
Age structure
Median age 40.6. 15.1% are 65 or older, 30.9% by 2050; 14.8% are under 15.
Share of the total population in each age group (%)
Births per woman
1.03 in 2026; about 2.1 keeps a population stable without migration. Below 2.1 since 1991.
- UN estimate
- UN projection
1.4 2026
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | Fertility rate |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.81 |
| 1951 | 5.70 |
| 1952 | 6.47 |
| 1953 | 6.04 |
| 1954 | 6.28 |
| 1955 | 6.26 |
| 1956 | 5.85 |
| 1957 | 6.42 |
| 1958 | 5.70 |
| 1959 | 4.72 |
| 1960 | 4.45 |
| 1961 | 3.86 |
| 1962 | 6.08 |
| 1963 | 7.51 |
| 1964 | 6.67 |
| 1965 | 6.61 |
| 1966 | 6.31 |
| 1967 | 5.81 |
| 1968 | 6.51 |
| 1969 | 6.17 |
| 1970 | 6.08 |
| 1971 | 5.52 |
| 1972 | 5.11 |
| 1973 | 4.73 |
| 1974 | 4.17 |
| 1975 | 3.57 |
| 1976 | 3.23 |
| 1977 | 2.84 |
| 1978 | 2.72 |
| 1979 | 2.75 |
| 1980 | 2.74 |
| 1981 | 2.79 |
| 1982 | 2.97 |
| 1983 | 2.56 |
| 1984 | 2.61 |
| 1985 | 2.63 |
| 1986 | 2.72 |
| 1987 | 2.76 |
| 1988 | 2.54 |
| 1989 | 2.52 |
| 1990 | 2.51 |
| 1991 | 1.93 |
| 1992 | 1.78 |
| 1993 | 1.69 |
| 1994 | 1.63 |
| 1995 | 1.59 |
| 1996 | 1.55 |
| 1997 | 1.53 |
| 1998 | 1.52 |
| 1999 | 1.53 |
| 2000 | 1.63 |
| 2001 | 1.56 |
| 2002 | 1.57 |
| 2003 | 1.57 |
| 2004 | 1.60 |
| 2005 | 1.62 |
| 2006 | 1.64 |
| 2007 | 1.67 |
| 2008 | 1.70 |
| 2009 | 1.71 |
| 2010 | 1.69 |
| 2011 | 1.67 |
| 2012 | 1.80 |
| 2013 | 1.71 |
| 2014 | 1.77 |
| 2015 | 1.67 |
| 2016 | 1.77 |
| 2017 | 1.80 |
| 2018 | 1.54 |
| 2019 | 1.50 |
| 2020 | 1.24 |
| 2021 | 1.12 |
| 2022 | 1.03 |
| 2023 | 1.00 |
| 2024 * | 1.01 |
| 2025 * | 1.02 |
| 2026 * | 1.03 |
| 2027 * | 1.04 |
| 2028 * | 1.05 |
| 2029 * | 1.05 |
| 2030 * | 1.06 |
| 2031 * | 1.07 |
| 2032 * | 1.08 |
| 2033 * | 1.08 |
| 2034 * | 1.09 |
| 2035 * | 1.10 |
| 2036 * | 1.10 |
| 2037 * | 1.11 |
| 2038 * | 1.12 |
| 2039 * | 1.13 |
| 2040 * | 1.13 |
| 2041 * | 1.13 |
| 2042 * | 1.14 |
| 2043 * | 1.15 |
| 2044 * | 1.15 |
| 2045 * | 1.16 |
| 2046 * | 1.16 |
| 2047 * | 1.17 |
| 2048 * | 1.17 |
| 2049 * | 1.18 |
| 2050 * | 1.18 |
| 2051 * | 1.19 |
| 2052 * | 1.19 |
| 2053 * | 1.20 |
| 2054 * | 1.20 |
| 2055 * | 1.21 |
| 2056 * | 1.21 |
| 2057 * | 1.22 |
| 2058 * | 1.22 |
| 2059 * | 1.22 |
| 2060 * | 1.23 |
| 2061 * | 1.23 |
| 2062 * | 1.24 |
| 2063 * | 1.24 |
| 2064 * | 1.25 |
| 2065 * | 1.25 |
| 2066 * | 1.25 |
| 2067 * | 1.26 |
| 2068 * | 1.26 |
| 2069 * | 1.27 |
| 2070 * | 1.27 |
| 2071 * | 1.27 |
| 2072 * | 1.27 |
| 2073 * | 1.28 |
| 2074 * | 1.28 |
| 2075 * | 1.28 |
| 2076 * | 1.29 |
| 2077 * | 1.29 |
| 2078 * | 1.29 |
| 2079 * | 1.29 |
| 2080 * | 1.29 |
| 2081 * | 1.30 |
| 2082 * | 1.30 |
| 2083 * | 1.30 |
| 2084 * | 1.31 |
| 2085 * | 1.31 |
| 2086 * | 1.31 |
| 2087 * | 1.31 |
| 2088 * | 1.32 |
| 2089 * | 1.32 |
| 2090 * | 1.32 |
| 2091 * | 1.33 |
| 2092 * | 1.33 |
| 2093 * | 1.33 |
| 2094 * | 1.33 |
| 2095 * | 1.33 |
| 2096 * | 1.33 |
| 2097 * | 1.34 |
| 2098 * | 1.34 |
| 2099 * | 1.35 |
| 2100 * | 1.35 |
* UN projection
Births and deaths each year
Deaths have outnumbered births since 2021.
- Births
- Deaths
- UN estimate
- UN projection
3.1M13.7M 2026
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | Births | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 22,293,375 | 12,564,024 |
| 1951 | 22,144,814 | 12,411,699 |
| 1952 | 25,496,318 | 12,459,842 |
| 1953 | 24,139,415 | 12,309,528 |
| 1954 | 25,438,543 | 12,145,570 |
| 1955 | 25,727,524 | 12,148,175 |
| 1956 | 24,364,154 | 11,916,102 |
| 1957 | 27,068,471 | 11,917,715 |
| 1958 | 24,284,912 | 11,704,871 |
| 1959 | 20,310,612 | 15,902,353 |
| 1960 | 19,310,830 | 19,506,188 |
| 1961 | 16,879,455 | 14,698,762 |
| 1962 | 26,826,299 | 10,349,702 |
| 1963 | 33,461,050 | 10,917,053 |
| 1964 | 30,071,914 | 10,842,874 |
| 1965 | 30,064,192 | 10,676,969 |
| 1966 | 29,208,554 | 10,496,090 |
| 1967 | 27,472,169 | 10,187,821 |
| 1968 | 31,649,577 | 10,173,291 |
| 1969 | 30,911,420 | 10,018,983 |
| 1970 | 31,461,750 | 9,817,575 |
| 1971 | 29,670,983 | 9,486,697 |
| 1972 | 28,596,626 | 9,169,215 |
| 1973 | 27,636,942 | 8,835,447 |
| 1974 | 25,594,012 | 8,544,007 |
| 1975 | 23,099,724 | 8,240,904 |
| 1976 | 22,013,490 | 8,191,034 |
| 1977 | 20,323,856 | 7,727,709 |
| 1978 | 20,249,289 | 7,589,981 |
| 1979 | 21,151,275 | 7,533,806 |
| 1980 | 21,674,421 | 7,507,117 |
| 1981 | 22,489,545 | 7,493,645 |
| 1982 | 24,352,551 | 7,550,025 |
| 1983 | 21,682,298 | 7,451,333 |
| 1984 | 22,909,693 | 7,475,573 |
| 1985 | 24,136,257 | 7,541,116 |
| 1986 | 26,044,589 | 7,648,042 |
| 1987 | 27,557,082 | 7,737,587 |
| 1988 | 26,442,277 | 7,756,967 |
| 1989 | 27,234,008 | 7,829,967 |
| 1990 | 28,079,115 | 7,975,059 |
| 1991 | 22,645,215 | 7,781,832 |
| 1992 | 21,066,913 | 7,671,254 |
| 1993 | 20,203,478 | 7,614,159 |
| 1994 | 19,528,689 | 7,632,007 |
| 1995 | 19,003,368 | 7,548,769 |
| 1996 | 18,306,560 | 7,522,666 |
| 1997 | 17,677,015 | 7,541,292 |
| 1998 | 17,187,249 | 7,588,236 |
| 1999 | 16,862,871 | 7,666,251 |
| 2000 | 17,551,191 | 7,780,052 |
| 2001 | 16,586,483 | 7,830,805 |
| 2002 | 16,382,375 | 7,916,788 |
| 2003 | 16,221,728 | 8,011,828 |
| 2004 | 16,461,427 | 8,121,149 |
| 2005 | 16,602,725 | 8,214,687 |
| 2006 | 16,868,048 | 8,339,014 |
| 2007 | 17,202,357 | 8,410,715 |
| 2008 | 17,712,990 | 8,683,382 |
| 2009 | 18,031,193 | 8,715,893 |
| 2010 | 17,912,367 | 8,788,797 |
| 2011 | 17,824,404 | 8,969,343 |
| 2012 | 19,246,445 | 9,086,053 |
| 2013 | 18,297,106 | 9,235,338 |
| 2014 | 18,769,423 | 9,383,269 |
| 2015 | 17,518,179 | 9,521,879 |
| 2016 | 18,329,285 | 9,688,663 |
| 2017 | 18,260,492 | 10,049,252 |
| 2018 | 15,357,072 | 9,967,028 |
| 2019 | 14,615,866 | 10,128,804 |
| 2020 | 11,843,469 | 10,411,385 |
| 2021 | 10,461,124 | 10,759,526 |
| 2022 | 9,455,320 | 10,998,729 |
| 2023 | 8,899,881 | 11,684,177 |
| 2024 * | 8,822,056 | 11,678,348 |
| 2025 * | 8,709,352 | 11,716,325 |
| 2026 * | 8,625,232 | 11,482,043 |
| 2027 * | 8,530,091 | 11,697,065 |
| 2028 * | 8,459,285 | 11,931,434 |
| 2029 * | 8,387,151 | 12,172,003 |
| 2030 * | 8,359,513 | 12,415,076 |
| 2031 * | 8,333,549 | 12,666,212 |
| 2032 * | 8,336,974 | 12,930,649 |
| 2033 * | 8,338,014 | 13,211,158 |
| 2034 * | 8,366,449 | 13,484,813 |
| 2035 * | 8,417,265 | 13,768,799 |
| 2036 * | 8,464,500 | 14,050,558 |
| 2037 * | 8,534,952 | 14,332,012 |
| 2038 * | 8,599,971 | 14,607,107 |
| 2039 * | 8,643,084 | 14,890,775 |
| 2040 * | 8,678,993 | 15,166,698 |
| 2041 * | 8,690,436 | 15,432,845 |
| 2042 * | 8,695,917 | 15,690,559 |
| 2043 * | 8,697,632 | 15,944,100 |
| 2044 * | 8,641,174 | 16,196,731 |
| 2045 * | 8,545,851 | 16,442,831 |
| 2046 * | 8,393,211 | 16,677,540 |
| 2047 * | 8,191,611 | 16,898,720 |
| 2048 * | 7,941,431 | 17,117,343 |
| 2049 * | 7,669,618 | 17,326,182 |
| 2050 * | 7,371,348 | 17,526,294 |
| 2051 * | 7,044,724 | 17,723,867 |
| 2052 * | 6,721,240 | 17,913,885 |
| 2053 * | 6,413,271 | 18,085,585 |
| 2054 * | 6,107,186 | 18,246,750 |
| 2055 * | 5,851,649 | 18,398,725 |
| 2056 * | 5,615,465 | 18,518,898 |
| 2057 * | 5,418,375 | 18,625,018 |
| 2058 * | 5,252,022 | 18,709,047 |
| 2059 * | 5,128,211 | 18,772,682 |
| 2060 * | 5,031,775 | 18,796,525 |
| 2061 * | 4,963,013 | 18,779,870 |
| 2062 * | 4,925,201 | 18,735,388 |
| 2063 * | 4,913,203 | 18,661,701 |
| 2064 * | 4,911,184 | 18,591,036 |
| 2065 * | 4,918,272 | 18,489,226 |
| 2066 * | 4,932,884 | 18,369,465 |
| 2067 * | 4,954,611 | 18,250,826 |
| 2068 * | 4,976,513 | 18,130,772 |
| 2069 * | 4,985,306 | 18,011,240 |
| 2070 * | 4,992,558 | 17,896,301 |
| 2071 * | 4,999,007 | 17,805,430 |
| 2072 * | 4,992,985 | 17,725,650 |
| 2073 * | 4,981,944 | 17,673,209 |
| 2074 * | 4,947,802 | 17,613,019 |
| 2075 * | 4,909,046 | 17,564,112 |
| 2076 * | 4,852,966 | 17,534,330 |
| 2077 * | 4,781,761 | 17,487,888 |
| 2078 * | 4,702,299 | 17,447,753 |
| 2079 * | 4,600,305 | 17,387,764 |
| 2080 * | 4,494,699 | 17,303,063 |
| 2081 * | 4,376,994 | 17,188,034 |
| 2082 * | 4,260,769 | 17,030,832 |
| 2083 * | 4,139,395 | 16,864,642 |
| 2084 * | 4,009,650 | 16,661,862 |
| 2085 * | 3,890,546 | 16,421,681 |
| 2086 * | 3,769,295 | 16,155,980 |
| 2087 * | 3,660,162 | 15,892,290 |
| 2088 * | 3,554,395 | 15,627,209 |
| 2089 * | 3,464,364 | 15,368,544 |
| 2090 * | 3,389,728 | 15,111,620 |
| 2091 * | 3,321,083 | 14,868,609 |
| 2092 * | 3,260,196 | 14,661,465 |
| 2093 * | 3,213,529 | 14,476,663 |
| 2094 * | 3,174,648 | 14,309,037 |
| 2095 * | 3,145,975 | 14,174,950 |
| 2096 * | 3,128,414 | 14,043,341 |
| 2097 * | 3,120,410 | 13,941,773 |
| 2098 * | 3,111,630 | 13,848,116 |
| 2099 * | 3,109,207 | 13,753,667 |
| 2100 * | 3,099,844 | 13,655,448 |
* UN projection
Economy of China
GDP by country →- GDP 2026
- $21.55 trillion 2nd largest economy
- GDP per person
- $15,371 US$, market rates
- GDP per person (PPP)
- Int$ 31,786 at purchasing power parity
- Economic growth
- +4.5% real GDP
- Inflation
- 1.0% consumer prices
- Unemployment
- 5.1% of the labour force
- Government debt
- 104.4% of GDP
- Share of world GDP
- 16.8%
- IMF estimate
- IMF projection
28.6T 2026
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | GDP, US$ |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 395,334,000,000 |
| 1991 | 414,609,000,000 |
| 1992 | 494,970,000,000 |
| 1993 | 621,665,000,000 |
| 1994 | 566,932,000,000 |
| 1995 | 738,192,000,000 |
| 1996 | 868,521,000,000 |
| 1997 | 967,756,000,000 |
| 1998 | 1,037,116,000,000 |
| 1999 | 1,103,837,000,000 |
| 2000 | 1,223,770,000,000 |
| 2001 | 1,355,048,000,000 |
| 2002 | 1,489,832,000,000 |
| 2003 | 1,683,911,000,000 |
| 2004 | 1,984,197,000,000 |
| 2005 | 2,318,292,000,000 |
| 2006 | 2,792,072,000,000 |
| 2007 | 3,605,730,000,000 |
| 2008 | 4,669,735,000,000 |
| 2009 | 5,189,893,000,000 |
| 2010 | 6,193,268,000,000 |
| 2011 | 7,674,918,000,000 |
| 2012 | 8,673,435,000,000 |
| 2013 | 9,747,148,000,000 |
| 2014 | 10,675,635,000,000 |
| 2015 | 11,279,165,000,000 |
| 2016 | 11,459,780,000,000 |
| 2017 | 12,550,474,000,000 |
| 2018 | 14,144,681,000,000 |
| 2019 | 14,581,031,000,000 |
| 2020 | 15,003,300,000,000 |
| 2021 | 18,194,575,000,000 |
| 2022 | 18,346,879,000,000 |
| 2023 | 18,367,061,000,000 |
| 2024 | 18,928,994,000,000 |
| 2025 | 19,626,191,000,000 |
| 2026 * | 21,546,403,000,000 |
| 2027 * | 22,939,132,000,000 |
| 2028 * | 24,234,521,000,000 |
| 2029 * | 25,657,941,000,000 |
| 2030 * | 27,081,473,000,000 |
| 2031 * | 28,553,669,000,000 |
* IMF projection
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026). 2026 and later are IMF projections. GDP per capita by country · Richest countries
CO₂ emissions of China
CO₂ by country →- CO₂ emissions 2024
- 12.29 billion tonnes 1st largest emitter
- Per person
- 8.66 t world: 4.73 t
- Share of world CO₂
- 31.84% 17.02% of its people
- Change since 1990
- +395% +109% since 2005
12289 2024
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | CO₂, million tonnes |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 78.83 |
| 1951 | 102.11 |
| 1952 | 128.00 |
| 1953 | 133.79 |
| 1954 | 160.88 |
| 1955 | 190.52 |
| 1956 | 215.83 |
| 1957 | 255.79 |
| 1958 | 524.62 |
| 1959 | 720.16 |
| 1960 | 798.81 |
| 1961 | 570.64 |
| 1962 | 459.62 |
| 1963 | 456.79 |
| 1964 | 460.64 |
| 1965 | 500.29 |
| 1966 | 549.47 |
| 1967 | 460.23 |
| 1968 | 495.51 |
| 1969 | 607.69 |
| 1970 | 807.96 |
| 1971 | 909.21 |
| 1972 | 968.64 |
| 1973 | 1008.27 |
| 1974 | 1028.06 |
| 1975 | 1183.15 |
| 1976 | 1226.34 |
| 1977 | 1340.71 |
| 1978 | 1492.52 |
| 1979 | 1525.42 |
| 1980 | 1494.30 |
| 1981 | 1476.28 |
| 1982 | 1606.24 |
| 1983 | 1693.75 |
| 1984 | 1844.21 |
| 1985 | 1997.19 |
| 1986 | 2103.43 |
| 1987 | 2256.63 |
| 1988 | 2424.44 |
| 1989 | 2462.15 |
| 1990 | 2483.53 |
| 1991 | 2619.14 |
| 1992 | 2731.29 |
| 1993 | 2914.28 |
| 1994 | 3093.89 |
| 1995 | 3351.20 |
| 1996 | 3499.31 |
| 1997 | 3512.35 |
| 1998 | 3355.34 |
| 1999 | 3549.95 |
| 2000 | 3643.81 |
| 2001 | 3724.11 |
| 2002 | 4098.18 |
| 2003 | 4835.25 |
| 2004 | 5210.96 |
| 2005 | 5881.99 |
| 2006 | 6486.19 |
| 2007 | 6974.66 |
| 2008 | 7492.40 |
| 2009 | 7881.49 |
| 2010 | 8610.05 |
| 2011 | 9520.15 |
| 2012 | 9767.31 |
| 2013 | 9942.37 |
| 2014 | 9976.03 |
| 2015 | 9858.04 |
| 2016 | 9748.17 |
| 2017 | 10000.01 |
| 2018 | 10346.79 |
| 2019 | 10713.51 |
| 2020 | 10896.52 |
| 2021 | 11284.40 |
| 2022 | 11711.81 |
| 2023 | 12172.01 |
| 2024 | 12289.04 |
By source, 2024
- Coal72.3%
- Oil13.9%
- Gas7.2%
- Cement5.0%
- Other industry1.5%
Fossil fuels and industry, territorial; Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0). CO₂ per capita by country · Historical emissions
Compare with Asia
| Country | Population 2026 | Growth | Fertility | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 1.41 billion | −0.22% | 1.03 | 40.6 |
| Indonesia | 288 million | +0.74% | 2.08 | 30.7 |
| Pakistan | 259 million | +1.59% | 3.44 | 20.8 |
| Bangladesh | 178 million | +1.19% | 2.09 | 26.3 |
| Japan | 122 million | −0.56% | 1.23 | 50.2 |
| Philippines | 118 million | +0.79% | 1.86 | 26.6 |
| Vietnam | 102 million | +0.55% | 1.86 | 33.9 |
| Iran | 93.2 million | +0.76% | 1.66 | 34.5 |
| Turkey | 87.9 million | +0.30% | 1.62 | 33.9 |
All 237 countries · Fertility rate by country · Birth rate by country · Median age by country · Life expectancy by country · Population growth rate by country · Population density by country · Largest countries by area · Death rate by country · Infant mortality rate by country · Elderly population by country · Net migration rate by country · Urban population by country · Sex ratio by country
Air quality in China today
Hourly AQI and a 48-hour forecast for 25 cities, from Shanghai to Kunming.
Questions
What is the population of China in 2026?
1,412,914,089 on 1 July 2026, according to the UN's World Population Prospects 2024 (medium-variant projection). That is 1.41 billion people, −0.22% on 2025.
Is China's population growing or shrinking?
Shrinking: 3,182,005 fewer people in 2026 than in 2025. Deaths have outnumbered births since 2021.
When will China's population peak?
It already did: 1.43 billion in 2021. The UN projects 1.26 billion in 2050 and 633 million in 2100.
What is the fertility rate in China?
1.03 births per woman in 2026. A population replaces itself at about 2.1. China has been below that since 1991.
How many babies are born in China every day?
About 23,615 a day (8.6 million in 2026), against about 31,437 deaths a day.
What is the life expectancy in China?
79.0 years at birth in 2026: 81.8 for women and 76.4 for men, against a world average of 73.8.
How many men and women live in China?
About 719 million men and 694 million women in 2026, or 103.6 men for every 100 women.
What is the population density of China?
147 people per km² of land in 2026, on a total area of 9,596,960 km². The world average is 64.
What was the population of China in 2000?
1,269,581,175 (1.27 billion), the UN estimate for 1 July 2000. It has grown by 11% since, to 1.41 billion in 2026.
What will the population of China be in 2050?
About 1.26 billion on the UN's medium projection (1,260,289,093), −10.8% from 2026; 633 million by 2100.
What are the largest cities in China?
Shanghai (29.9 million), Guangzhou (27.7 million), Beijing (17.1 million), Shenzhen (14 million), Suzhou (7.7 million). UN figures for 2026, counting each city’s whole built-up area.
What is the GDP of China in 2026?
$21.55 trillion at current prices, the 2nd largest economy in the world, on the IMF’s World Economic Outlook (October 2026) figures; real growth of +4.5%.
What is China's GDP per capita?
$15,371 per person at market exchange rates in 2026, or Int$ 31,786 at purchasing power parity, which adjusts for local prices.
How much CO₂ does China emit?
12.29 billion tonnes from fossil fuels and industry in 2024, 8.66 t per person and 31.84% of the world total; coal is the largest source (72%).
Source and method
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant. Figures for 1950–2023 are UN estimates; later years are the medium-variant projection, which assumes fertility, mortality and migration follow their most likely paths. National statistics offices publish their own counts, which can differ. Reuse under CC BY 3.0 IGO. How we use the data.