China vs India
China vs India: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 24% in China and 24.4% in India, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in India, by 0.4 percentage points, or 1.02 times that in China.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- India has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2024, China ranked 121 and India ranked 120 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | China | India | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24 | 24.4 | – |
| 2023 | 23.9 | 24.4 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 23.7 | 24.4 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 23.5 | 24.4 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 23.3 | 24.3 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 23.2 | 24.2 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 23 | 24.1 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 22.8 | 24 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 22.6 | 23.9 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 22.4 | 23.8 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 22.2 | 23.7 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 22 | 23.6 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 21.8 | 23.6 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 21.6 | 23.5 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 21.4 | 23.4 | 32 |
| 2009 | 21.1 | 23.3 | 32 |
| 2008 | 20.9 | 23.3 | 32 |
| 2007 | 20.6 | 23.2 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 20.4 | 23.1 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 20.1 | 23.1 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 19.9 | 23 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 19.6 | 22.9 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 19.4 | 22.9 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 19.1 | 22.8 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 18.9 | 22.7 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 18.6 | 22.6 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 18.4 | 22.5 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 18.2 | 22.4 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 18 | 22.2 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 17.8 | 22.1 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 17.6 | 22 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 17.4 | 21.9 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 17.2 | 21.8 | 33 |
| 1991 | 17 | 21.6 | – |
| 1990 | 16.7 | 21.5 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
- Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
China vs India
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023India: 72 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024India: 2.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023India: 22.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017India: 3.53% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017India: 15.6 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023India: 1.44 billion people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023India: 0.89% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023India: 1.98 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025India: 35.7% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023India: 28.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023India: 6.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023India: -0.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025India: 2.3% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025India: $93.3B in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025India: $63 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025India: 8.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020India: 3.07 million people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022India: 9.94% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020India: 0.58% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025India: 2.86 billion TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025India: 81 million TIV in 2025