China vs Malaysia
China vs Malaysia: GDP per person
GDP per person in 2025: $13,790 in China and $12,350 in Malaysia, by World Bank estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $1,440, or 1.12 times that in Malaysia.
US dollars at 2015 prices · World Bank
What the numbers say
- China has been higher since 2020, when it overtook Malaysia.
- In 2025, China ranked 61 and Malaysia ranked 66 of 186 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: $12,130 in 2025.
Every year
US dollars at 2015 prices · World Bank
| Year | China | Malaysia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13,790 | $12,350 | $12,130 |
| 2024 | $13,120 | $11,880 | $11,890 |
| 2023 | $12,480 | $11,450 | $11,670 |
| 2022 | $11,830 | $11,190 | $11,450 |
| 2021 | $11,470 | $10,390 | $11,170 |
| 2020 | $10,570 | $10,170 | $10,580 |
| 2019 | $10,360 | $10,900 | $11,000 |
| 2018 | $9,799 | $10,610 | $10,820 |
| 2017 | $9,221 | $10,290 | $10,590 |
| 2016 | $8,679 | $9,901 | $10,360 |
| 2015 | $8,175 | $9,649 | $10,190 |
| 2014 | $7,686 | $9,342 | $10,000 |
| 2013 | $7,198 | $8,965 | $9,811 |
| 2012 | $6,723 | $8,711 | $9,654 |
| 2011 | $6,276 | $8,400 | $9,515 |
| 2010 | $5,765 | $8,119 | $9,322 |
| 2009 | $5,238 | $7,700 | $9,028 |
| 2008 | $4,811 | $7,976 | $9,266 |
| 2007 | $4,410 | $7,770 | $9,191 |
| 2006 | $3,883 | $7,470 | $8,913 |
| 2005 | $3,466 | $7,234 | $8,639 |
| 2004 | $3,128 | $7,025 | $8,409 |
| 2003 | $2,857 | $6,733 | $8,151 |
| 2002 | $2,611 | $6,517 | $8,011 |
| 2001 | $2,406 | $6,335 | $7,932 |
| 2000 | $2,237 | $6,456 | $7,880 |
| 1999 | $2,077 | $6,071 | $7,639 |
| 1998 | $1,944 | $5,858 | $7,479 |
| 1997 | $1,819 | $6,481 | $7,382 |
| 1996 | $1,681 | $6,190 | $7,203 |
| 1995 | $1,545 | $5,771 | $7,058 |
| 1994 | $1,407 | $5,390 | $6,944 |
| 1993 | $1,258 | $5,063 | $6,819 |
| 1992 | $1,117 | $4,726 | $6,801 |
| 1991 | $990 | $4,457 | $6,773 |
| 1990 | $917 | $4,185 | $6,804 |
| 1989 | $896 | $3,954 | $6,741 |
| 1988 | $873 | $3,737 | $6,620 |
| 1987 | $797 | $3,508 | $6,446 |
| 1986 | $726 | $3,444 | $6,326 |
| 1985 | $676 | $3,515 | $6,233 |
| 1984 | $604 | $3,670 | $6,120 |
| 1983 | $532 | $3,519 | $5,947 |
| 1982 | $487 | $3,420 | $5,903 |
| 1981 | $453 | $3,333 | $5,986 |
| 1980 | $437 | $3,216 | $5,980 |
| 1979 | $410 | $3,078 | $5,978 |
| 1978 | $386 | $2,883 | $5,843 |
| 1977 | $352 | $2,769 | $5,710 |
| 1976 | $331 | $2,632 | $5,591 |
| 1975 | $342 | $2,417 | $5,410 |
| 1974 | $320 | $2,455 | $5,467 |
| 1973 | $319 | $2,322 | $5,465 |
| 1972 | $303 | $2,129 | $5,236 |
| 1971 | $299 | $1,993 | $5,061 |
| 1970 | $287 | $1,855 | $4,964 |
| 1969 | $248 | $1,791 | $4,885 |
| 1968 | $218 | $1,747 | $4,707 |
| 1967 | $233 | $1,655 | $4,535 |
| 1966 | $254 | $1,631 | $4,461 |
| 1965 | $236 | $1,551 | $4,321 |
| 1964 | $206 | $1,478 | $4,176 |
| 1963 | $179 | $1,440 | $3,999 |
| 1962 | $166 | $1,377 | $3,889 |
| 1961 | $177 | $1,328 | $3,759 |
| 1960 | $241 | $1,266 | $3,667 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The value of everything produced in the country in a year, divided by its people, in 2015 US dollars so that years compare.
- Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators.
- Ranks count the 186 countries with a value in 2025, 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 Malaysia
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Malaysia: 76.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Malaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Malaysia: 6.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Malaysia: 3.52% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Malaysia: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Malaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Malaysia: 1.24% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Malaysia: 1.55 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Malaysia: 77.4% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Malaysia: 30.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Malaysia: 7.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Malaysia: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Malaysia: 1.04% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025Malaysia: $4.55B in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Malaysia: $138 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Malaysia: 4.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Malaysia: 136,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Malaysia: 0.46% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Malaysia: 0.81% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Malaysia: 7 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Malaysia: 20 million TIV in 2024