China vs South Korea
China vs South Korea: Depression
Depression in 2017: 3.31% in China and 3.17% in South Korea, by IHME estimates. In 2017 the value was higher in China, by 0.15 percentage points, or 1.05 times that in South Korea.
% of people · IHME
What the numbers say
- China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2017, China ranked 114 and South Korea ranked 124 of 195 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 3.44% in 2017.
Every year
% of people · IHME
| Year | China | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3.31 | 3.17 | 3.44 |
| 2016 | 3.33 | 3.14 | 3.44 |
| 2015 | 3.35 | 3.11 | 3.44 |
| 2014 | 3.37 | 3.09 | 3.44 |
| 2013 | 3.38 | 3.06 | 3.44 |
| 2012 | 3.39 | 3.04 | 3.44 |
| 2011 | 3.4 | 3.01 | 3.44 |
| 2010 | 3.41 | 2.99 | 3.44 |
| 2009 | 3.41 | 2.96 | 3.45 |
| 2008 | 3.4 | 2.93 | 3.48 |
| 2007 | 3.39 | 2.9 | 3.5 |
| 2006 | 3.38 | 2.88 | 3.52 |
| 2005 | 3.38 | 2.86 | 3.53 |
| 2004 | 3.39 | 2.86 | 3.53 |
| 2003 | 3.4 | 2.86 | 3.53 |
| 2002 | 3.41 | 2.86 | 3.53 |
| 2001 | 3.42 | 2.85 | 3.53 |
| 2000 | 3.43 | 2.85 | 3.53 |
| 1999 | 3.45 | 2.85 | 3.54 |
| 1998 | 3.47 | 2.84 | 3.54 |
| 1997 | 3.49 | 2.84 | 3.54 |
| 1996 | 3.52 | 2.83 | 3.55 |
| 1995 | 3.54 | 2.83 | 3.55 |
| 1994 | 3.55 | 2.82 | 3.55 |
| 1993 | 3.56 | 2.82 | 3.55 |
| 1992 | 3.57 | 2.82 | 3.55 |
| 1991 | 3.57 | 2.82 | 3.55 |
| 1990 | 3.57 | 2.82 | 3.54 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living with a depressive disorder, as the Global Burden of Disease study estimates it.
- Source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 195 countries with a value in 2017, 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 South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025