China vs Japan

China vs Japan: Population

Population in 2023: 1.42 billion people in China and 124 million people in Japan, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in China, by 1.3 billion people, or 11 times that in Japan.

Watch it change on the map

people · UN

China vs Japan: PopulationPopulation in 2023: 1.42 billion people in China and 124 million people in Japan, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in China, by 1.3 billion people, or 11 times that in Japan.
ChinaJapanEstimates, HYDE and GapminderUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

What the numbers say

  • China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
  • In 2023, China ranked 2 and Japan ranked 12 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
  • The UN projection (medium variant) puts China at 633 million people and Japan at 76.9 million people in 2100.
  • The world as a whole: 8.09 billion people in 2023.

Every year

people · UN

YearChinaJapanWorld
20231.42 billion124 million8.09 billion
20221.43 billion125 million8.02 billion
20211.43 billion126 million7.95 billion
20201.43 billion126 million7.89 billion
20191.42 billion127 million7.81 billion
20181.42 billion127 million7.73 billion
20171.41 billion127 million7.65 billion
20161.4 billion127 million7.56 billion
20151.4 billion127 million7.47 billion
20141.39 billion128 million7.38 billion
20131.38 billion128 million7.29 billion
20121.37 billion128 million7.2 billion
20111.36 billion128 million7.11 billion
20101.35 billion128 million7.02 billion
20091.34 billion128 million6.93 billion
20081.33 billion128 million6.84 billion
20071.33 billion128 million6.76 billion
20061.32 billion128 million6.67 billion
20051.31 billion128 million6.59 billion
20041.3 billion128 million6.5 billion
20031.3 billion128 million6.42 billion
20021.29 billion128 million6.34 billion
20011.28 billion127 million6.26 billion
20001.27 billion127 million6.17 billion
19991.26 billion127 million6.09 billion
19981.25 billion127 million6.01 billion
19971.24 billion126 million5.93 billion
19961.23 billion126 million5.84 billion
19951.22 billion126 million5.76 billion
19941.21 billion125 million5.68 billion
19931.2 billion125 million5.59 billion
19921.19 billion124 million5.51 billion
19911.17 billion124 million5.42 billion
19901.15 billion123 million5.33 billion
19891.13 billion123 million5.23 billion
19881.12 billion123 million5.14 billion
19871.1 billion122 million5.05 billion
19861.08 billion121 million4.96 billion
19851.06 billion121 million4.87 billion
19841.04 billion120 million4.78 billion
19831.03 billion120 million4.7 billion
19821.01 billion120 million4.61 billion
1981998 million119 million4.53 billion
1980983 million118 million4.45 billion
1979969 million118 million4.37 billion
1978956 million117 million4.29 billion
1977944 million116 million4.22 billion
1976930 million115 million4.14 billion
1975916 million113 million4.07 billion
1974900 million112 million4 billion
1973883 million111 million3.92 billion
1972864 million109 million3.85 billion
1971844 million108 million3.77 billion
1970823 million107 million3.7 billion
1969802 million106 million3.62 billion
1968781 million104 million3.55 billion
1967761 million103 million3.47 billion
1966742 million102 million3.4 billion
1965723 million101 million3.34 billion
1964705 million99.9 million3.26 billion
1963685 million99 million3.19 billion
1962665 million98.1 million3.12 billion
1961656 million97.2 million3.07 billion
1960655 million96.4 million3.02 billion
1959653 million95.6 million2.97 billion
1958644 million94.9 million2.91 billion
1957630 million94.1 million2.85 billion
1956617 million93.3 million2.8 billion
1955604 million92.4 million2.74 billion
1954590 million91.4 million2.69 billion
1953578 million90.3 million2.63 billion
1952565 million89.1 million2.58 billion
1951554 million87.9 million2.54 billion
1950544 million86.4 million2.49 billion
1949538 million83.3 million–
1948534 million82.2 million–
1947531 million81 million–
1946528 million79.9 million–
1945525 million78.8 million–
1944522 million77.7 million–
1943520 million76.7 million–
1942517 million75.6 million–
1941514 million74.6 million–
1940511 million73.6 million–
1939508 million72.6 million–
1938506 million71.7 million–
1937503 million70.8 million–
1936500 million69.9 million–
1935497 million69 million–
1934494 million68.1 million–
1933491 million67.2 million–
1932488 million66.4 million–
1931485 million65.5 million–
1930483 million64.7 million–
1929481 million63.8 million–
1928479 million62.9 million–
1927477 million62.1 million–
1926475 million61.2 million–
1925474 million60.3 million–
1924472 million59.5 million–
1923470 million58.7 million–
1922469 million57.9 million–
1921466 million57.1 million–
1920463 million56.3 million–
1919460 million55.6 million–
1918455 million54.9 million–
1917450 million54.3 million–
1916446 million53.6 million–
1915441 million53 million–
1914436 million52.3 million–
1913431 million51.7 million–
1912427 million51.1 million–
1911423 million50.5 million–
1910419 million49.9 million–
1909416 million49.3 million–
1908413 million48.7 million–
1907411 million48.2 million–
1906409 million47.6 million–
1905407 million47 million–
1904404 million46.5 million–
1903402 million46 million–
1902400 million45.4 million–
1901398 million44.9 million–
1900396 million44.4 million–
1899394 million44 million–
1898392 million43.5 million–
1897390 million43.1 million–
1896388 million42.7 million–
1895386 million42.3 million–
1894384 million41.9 million–
1893382 million41.5 million–
1892381 million41.1 million–
1891379 million40.7 million–
1890377 million40.3 million–
1889376 million39.9 million–
1888375 million39.6 million–
1887373 million39.2 million–
1886372 million38.9 million–
1885371 million38.6 million–
1884370 million38.2 million–
1883369 million37.9 million–
1882368 million37.6 million–
1881367 million37.3 million–
1880366 million37 million–
1879365 million36.7 million–
1878364 million36.4 million–
1877363 million36.2 million–
1876362 million36 million–
1875361 million35.7 million–
1874360 million35.5 million–
1873359 million35.2 million–
1872358 million35 million–
1871358 million34.8 million–
1870358 million34.6 million–
1869359 million34.4 million–
1868360 million34.3 million–
1867362 million34.1 million–
1866364 million34 million–
1865366 million33.9 million–
1864368 million33.7 million–
1863370 million33.6 million–
1862372 million33.5 million–
1861375 million33.4 million–
1860377 million33.2 million–
1859380 million33.1 million–
1858383 million33 million–
1857387 million32.9 million–
1856390 million32.7 million–
1855394 million32.6 million–
1854397 million32.5 million–
1853401 million32.4 million–
1852405 million32.2 million–
1851408 million32.1 million–
1850410 million32.1 million–
1849411 million32 million–
1848412 million31.9 million–
1847412 million31.9 million–
1846412 million31.9 million–
1845412 million31.8 million–
1844412 million31.8 million–
1843412 million31.8 million–
1842412 million31.7 million–
1841412 million31.7 million–
1840412 million31.7 million–
1839412 million31.6 million–
1838411 million31.6 million–
1837411 million31.6 million–
1836411 million31.5 million–
1835411 million31.5 million–
1834410 million31.5 million–
1833410 million31.4 million–
1832410 million31.4 million–
1831409 million31.4 million–
1830407 million31.3 million–
1829406 million31.3 million–
1828403 million31.3 million–
1827400 million31.2 million–
1826398 million31.2 million–
1825395 million31.2 million–
1824392 million31.1 million–
1823389 million31.1 million–
1822387 million31.1 million–
1821384 million31 million–
1820380 million30.9 million–
1819377 million30.8 million–
1818374 million30.7 million–
1817370 million30.5 million–
1816367 million30.4 million–
1815363 million30.2 million–
1814360 million30.1 million–
1813356 million29.9 million–
1812353 million29.8 million–
1811350 million29.6 million–
1810347 million29.5 million–
1809344 million29.3 million–
1808343 million29.2 million–
1807341 million29 million–
1806339 million28.9 million–
1805338 million28.7 million–
1804336 million28.6 million–
1803335 million28.4 million–
1802333 million28.3 million–
1801332 million28.1 million–
1800330 million28 million–
  • 12.3Estimates, HYDE and Gapminder
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
YearChinaJapanWorld
20241.42 billion1.42 billion–1.42 billion124 million124 million–124 million8.16 billion
20251.42 billion1.41 billion–1.42 billion123 million123 million–123 million8.23 billion
20261.41 billion1.41 billion–1.42 billion122 million122 million–123 million8.3 billion
20271.41 billion1.4 billion–1.42 billion122 million121 million–123 million8.37 billion
20281.41 billion1.39 billion–1.42 billion121 million120 million–122 million8.44 billion
20291.4 billion1.39 billion–1.42 billion120 million119 million–122 million8.5 billion
20301.4 billion1.38 billion–1.42 billion120 million118 million–122 million8.57 billion
20311.39 billion1.37 billion–1.42 billion119 million117 million–121 million8.63 billion
20321.39 billion1.36 billion–1.41 billion118 million116 million–121 million8.7 billion
20331.38 billion1.35 billion–1.41 billion117 million115 million–120 million8.76 billion
20341.38 billion1.35 billion–1.41 billion117 million114 million–120 million8.82 billion
20351.37 billion1.34 billion–1.41 billion116 million112 million–120 million8.89 billion
20361.37 billion1.33 billion–1.41 billion115 million111 million–119 million8.95 billion
20371.36 billion1.32 billion–1.41 billion114 million110 million–119 million9.01 billion
20381.36 billion1.31 billion–1.4 billion114 million109 million–119 million9.06 billion
20391.35 billion1.3 billion–1.4 billion113 million108 million–118 million9.12 billion
20401.34 billion1.28 billion–1.4 billion112 million107 million–118 million9.18 billion
20411.34 billion1.27 billion–1.39 billion111 million106 million–118 million9.23 billion
20421.33 billion1.26 billion–1.39 billion111 million105 million–117 million9.29 billion
20431.32 billion1.25 billion–1.39 billion110 million104 million–117 million9.34 billion
20441.31 billion1.24 billion–1.38 billion109 million103 million–117 million9.39 billion
20451.31 billion1.23 billion–1.38 billion109 million102 million–116 million9.44 billion
20461.3 billion1.21 billion–1.38 billion108 million101 million–116 million9.49 billion
20471.29 billion1.2 billion–1.37 billion107 million99.6 million–116 million9.54 billion
20481.28 billion1.19 billion–1.37 billion107 million98.5 million–115 million9.58 billion
20491.27 billion1.17 billion–1.36 billion106 million97.5 million–115 million9.62 billion
20501.26 billion1.16 billion–1.35 billion105 million96.4 million–115 million9.66 billion
20511.25 billion1.14 billion–1.35 billion105 million95.3 million–115 million9.7 billion
20521.24 billion1.13 billion–1.34 billion104 million94.1 million–114 million9.74 billion
20531.23 billion1.11 billion–1.33 billion103 million93 million–114 million9.78 billion
20541.22 billion1.1 billion–1.32 billion102 million91.9 million–114 million9.81 billion
20551.2 billion1.08 billion–1.31 billion102 million90.9 million–114 million9.85 billion
20561.19 billion1.06 billion–1.3 billion101 million89.8 million–113 million9.88 billion
20571.18 billion1.05 billion–1.29 billion100 million88.6 million–113 million9.91 billion
20581.16 billion1.03 billion–1.29 billion99.6 million87.5 million–113 million9.94 billion
20591.15 billion1.01 billion–1.28 billion98.9 million86.3 million–113 million9.96 billion
20601.14 billion998 million–1.26 billion98.1 million85.1 million–113 million9.99 billion
20611.12 billion981 million–1.25 billion97.4 million84 million–112 million10 billion
20621.11 billion963 million–1.24 billion96.6 million82.9 million–112 million10 billion
20631.09 billion947 million–1.23 billion95.8 million81.7 million–111 million10.1 billion
20641.08 billion932 million–1.22 billion95.1 million80.7 million–111 million10.1 billion
20651.07 billion915 million–1.21 billion94.3 million79.4 million–111 million10.1 billion
20661.05 billion898 million–1.2 billion93.6 million78 million–111 million10.1 billion
20671.04 billion881 million–1.19 billion92.8 million76.7 million–111 million10.1 billion
20681.03 billion867 million–1.18 billion92.1 million75.5 million–110 million10.2 billion
20691.01 billion852 million–1.17 billion91.3 million74.4 million–110 million10.2 billion
2070999 million836 million–1.16 billion90.6 million73.3 million–110 million10.2 billion
2071986 million822 million–1.15 billion89.9 million72.2 million–110 million10.2 billion
2072973 million807 million–1.14 billion89.2 million71.2 million–110 million10.2 billion
2073960 million792 million–1.13 billion88.6 million70.2 million–110 million10.2 billion
2074947 million776 million–1.12 billion88 million69.2 million–109 million10.2 billion
2075935 million760 million–1.11 billion87.4 million68.2 million–110 million10.3 billion
2076922 million743 million–1.1 billion86.8 million67.2 million–110 million10.3 billion
2077909 million728 million–1.09 billion86.2 million66.3 million–110 million10.3 billion
2078896 million713 million–1.08 billion85.7 million65.3 million–110 million10.3 billion
2079883 million697 million–1.08 billion85.2 million64.5 million–110 million10.3 billion
2080870 million681 million–1.07 billion84.7 million63.6 million–110 million10.3 billion
2081857 million664 million–1.06 billion84.3 million62.8 million–110 million10.3 billion
2082844 million648 million–1.05 billion83.8 million62.1 million–110 million10.3 billion
2083832 million633 million–1.04 billion83.4 million61.4 million–110 million10.3 billion
2084819 million618 million–1.03 billion83 million60.7 million–110 million10.3 billion
2085806 million604 million–1.02 billion82.6 million59.9 million–110 million10.3 billion
2086794 million591 million–1.01 billion82.2 million59.2 million–110 million10.3 billion
2087781 million576 million–994 million81.8 million58.5 million–110 million10.3 billion
2088769 million562 million–984 million81.4 million57.7 million–111 million10.3 billion
2089757 million548 million–975 million81 million56.9 million–111 million10.3 billion
2090745 million534 million–967 million80.6 million56.1 million–111 million10.3 billion
2091733 million520 million–959 million80.3 million55.3 million–111 million10.3 billion
2092722 million507 million–951 million79.9 million54.5 million–111 million10.3 billion
2093710 million493 million–944 million79.5 million53.6 million–112 million10.3 billion
2094699 million480 million–937 million79.1 million52.6 million–112 million10.2 billion
2095688 million468 million–929 million78.8 million51.8 million–112 million10.2 billion
2096677 million455 million–920 million78.4 million51 million–112 million10.2 billion
2097666 million443 million–913 million78 million50.1 million–112 million10.2 billion
2098655 million431 million–906 million77.6 million49.4 million–113 million10.2 billion
2099644 million417 million–899 million77.2 million48.6 million–113 million10.2 billion
2100633 million404 million–890 million76.9 million47.8 million–113 million10.2 billion

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • Everyone living in the country on 1 July of each year.
  • Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
  • Before 1950: HYDE (2023), Gapminder (2022) and UN WPP (2024), via Our World in Data.
  • The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
  • Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, 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

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