China vs South Korea: GDP growth
GDP growth in 2025: 5% a year in China and 1.1% a year in South Korea, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by 3.9 percentage points, or 4.39 times that in South Korea.
ChinaSouth Korea
Watch it change on the map% a year · IMF
Latest figures
% a year · IMF
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 5 2025 | 7 | 33 of 143 | 3.3 2031 |
| South Korea | 1.1 2025 | 2.9 | 119 of 143 | 1.9 2031 |
What the numbers say
- China has been higher since 2001, when it overtook South Korea.
- In 2025, China ranked 33 and South Korea ranked 119 of 143 countries, counting from the highest.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts China at 3.3% a year and South Korea at 1.9% a year in 2031.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | China | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 1.1 |
| 2024 | 5 | 2.2 |
| 2023 | 5.4 | 1.5 |
| 2022 | 3.1 | 2.9 |
| 2021 | 8.6 | 4.7 |
| 2020 | 2.3 | -0.7 |
| 2019 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| 2018 | 6.8 | 3.2 |
| 2017 | 6.9 | 3.4 |
| 2016 | 6.8 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 7 | 2.9 |
| 2014 | 7.5 | 3.2 |
| 2013 | 7.8 | 3.3 |
| 2012 | 7.8 | 2.5 |
| 2011 | 9.5 | 3.7 |
| 2010 | 10.6 | 7 |
| 2009 | 9.4 | 0.8 |
| 2008 | 9.6 | 3 |
| 2007 | 14.2 | 5.8 |
| 2006 | 12.7 | 5.2 |
| 2005 | 11.4 | 4.4 |
| 2004 | 10.1 | 5.2 |
| 2003 | 10.1 | 3.1 |
| 2002 | 9.2 | 7.7 |
| 2001 | 8.3 | 4.7 |
| 2000 | 8.6 | 9.2 |
| 1999 | 7.8 | 11.6 |
| 1998 | 7.9 | -4.9 |
| 1997 | 9.3 | 6.3 |
| 1996 | 10 | 8 |
| 1995 | 11 | 9.7 |
| 1994 | 13.1 | 9.4 |
| 1993 | 13.9 | 7 |
| 1992 | 14.3 | 6.4 |
| 1991 | 10.2 | 10.9 |
| 1990 | 3.9 | 10 |
| 1989 | 4.2 | 7.2 |
| 1988 | 11.2 | 12.1 |
| 1987 | 11.7 | 12.9 |
| 1986 | 8.9 | 11.5 |
| 1985 | 13.5 | 7.9 |
| 1984 | 15.2 | 10.6 |
| 1983 | 10.8 | 13.5 |
| 1982 | 9 | 8.5 |
| 1981 | 5.1 | 7.4 |
| 1980 | 7.9 | -1.5 |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | China | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.5 | 3.3 |
| 2027 | 4 | 2.8 |
| 2028 | 4 | 2.3 |
| 2029 | 3.7 | 2.1 |
| 2030 | 3.3 | 1.9 |
| 2031 | 3.3 | 1.9 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How much the economy grew or shrank in a year, after inflation.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 143 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time