China vs United Kingdom
China vs United Kingdom: Life expectancy
Life expectancy in 2023: 78 years in China and 81.3 years in United Kingdom, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 3.3 years, or 1.04 times that in China.
years · UN
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
- In 2023, China ranked 73 and United Kingdom ranked 42 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts China at 89.8 years and United Kingdom at 90.6 years in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 73.2 years in 2023.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | China | United Kingdom | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 78 | 81.3 | 73.2 |
| 2022 | 78.2 | 81.1 | 72.6 |
| 2021 | 78.1 | 80.7 | 70.9 |
| 2020 | 78 | 80.4 | 71.9 |
| 2019 | 77.9 | 81.4 | 72.6 |
| 2018 | 77.7 | 81.1 | 72.4 |
| 2017 | 77.2 | 81.2 | 72.1 |
| 2016 | 77.2 | 81.1 | 71.9 |
| 2015 | 77 | 80.9 | 71.6 |
| 2014 | 76.7 | 81.2 | 71.4 |
| 2013 | 76.5 | 80.9 | 71.1 |
| 2012 | 76.2 | 80.9 | 70.8 |
| 2011 | 75.9 | 80.8 | 70.4 |
| 2010 | 75.7 | 80.4 | 70.1 |
| 2009 | 75.3 | 80.2 | 69.7 |
| 2008 | 74.8 | 79.7 | 69.3 |
| 2007 | 74.8 | 79.5 | 69 |
| 2006 | 74.4 | 79.4 | 68.6 |
| 2005 | 74.1 | 79.1 | 68.1 |
| 2004 | 73.7 | 78.9 | 67.7 |
| 2003 | 73.4 | 78.3 | 67.4 |
| 2002 | 73 | 78.2 | 67.1 |
| 2001 | 72.7 | 78.1 | 66.8 |
| 2000 | 72.3 | 77.9 | 66.4 |
| 1999 | 72 | 77.4 | 66 |
| 1998 | 71.6 | 77.3 | 65.7 |
| 1997 | 71.2 | 77.1 | 65.5 |
| 1996 | 70.8 | 76.9 | 65.2 |
| 1995 | 70.4 | 76.6 | 64.9 |
| 1994 | 69.8 | 76.7 | 64.3 |
| 1993 | 69.5 | 76.2 | 64.4 |
| 1992 | 69.1 | 76.3 | 64.3 |
| 1991 | 68.6 | 75.9 | 64.1 |
| 1990 | 68.2 | 75.7 | 64 |
| 1989 | 67.9 | 75.4 | 63.8 |
| 1988 | 67.6 | 75.3 | 63.4 |
| 1987 | 67.3 | 75.2 | 63.2 |
| 1986 | 66.9 | 74.8 | 62.7 |
| 1985 | 66.5 | 74.5 | 62.2 |
| 1984 | 66.2 | 74.7 | 61.9 |
| 1983 | 65.7 | 74.3 | 61.5 |
| 1982 | 65.3 | 74 | 61.3 |
| 1981 | 64.8 | 73.9 | 60.9 |
| 1980 | 64.2 | 73.6 | 60.5 |
| 1979 | 63.7 | 73.2 | 60.2 |
| 1978 | 63.1 | 73 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 62.5 | 73.1 | 59.2 |
| 1976 | 61.2 | 72.6 | 58.6 |
| 1975 | 61 | 72.7 | 58.3 |
| 1974 | 60.2 | 72.4 | 58.1 |
| 1973 | 59.5 | 72.2 | 57.7 |
| 1972 | 58.6 | 72 | 57.2 |
| 1971 | 57.7 | 72.2 | 56 |
| 1970 | 56.8 | 71.9 | 56.3 |
| 1969 | 56 | 71.7 | 56 |
| 1968 | 55.2 | 71.7 | 55.6 |
| 1967 | 54.4 | 72.1 | 55.1 |
| 1966 | 53.7 | 71.4 | 54.6 |
| 1965 | 53 | 71.5 | 54 |
| 1964 | 52.3 | 71.5 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 51.7 | 70.8 | 53.7 |
| 1962 | 51 | 70.9 | 53.2 |
| 1961 | 40.2 | 70.8 | 50.4 |
| 1960 | 33.4 | 71 | 47.8 |
| 1959 | 40.2 | 70.8 | 49.6 |
| 1958 | 48.8 | 70.7 | 51.6 |
| 1957 | 48.4 | 70.5 | 51.1 |
| 1956 | 47.8 | 70.4 | 50.7 |
| 1955 | 47.2 | 70.1 | 50.2 |
| 1954 | 46.8 | 70.2 | 49.7 |
| 1953 | 45.9 | 69.8 | 48.8 |
| 1952 | 45.3 | 69.5 | 48.2 |
| 1951 | 44.6 | 68.2 | 47.1 |
| 1950 | 43.8 | 68.6 | 46.4 |
| 1949 | 41 | 68.1 | – |
| 1948 | – | 68.4 | – |
| 1947 | – | 66.4 | – |
| 1946 | – | 66.2 | – |
| 1945 | – | 65.8 | – |
| 1944 | – | 64.8 | – |
| 1943 | – | 64 | – |
| 1942 | 37 | 64 | – |
| 1941 | – | 61.3 | – |
| 1940 | – | 60.9 | – |
| 1939 | – | 63.6 | – |
| 1938 | – | 63.2 | – |
| 1937 | – | 61.8 | – |
| 1936 | 35 | 61.8 | – |
| 1935 | – | 62 | – |
| 1934 | 34 | 61.3 | – |
| 1933 | – | 60.6 | – |
| 1932 | – | 60.5 | – |
| 1931 | – | 60 | – |
| 1930 | 32 | 60.8 | – |
| 1929 | – | 57.6 | – |
| 1928 | – | 59.9 | – |
| 1927 | – | 59 | – |
| 1926 | – | 59.6 | – |
| 1925 | – | 58.4 | – |
| 1924 | – | 58.1 | – |
| 1923 | – | 59.3 | – |
| 1922 | – | 57 | – |
| 1921 | – | 58.1 | – |
| 1920 | – | 57.3 | – |
| 1919 | – | 54.3 | – |
| 1918 | – | 47.3 | – |
| 1917 | – | 54.2 | – |
| 1916 | – | 54.2 | – |
| 1915 | – | 51.2 | – |
| 1914 | – | 53.2 | – |
| 1913 | – | 53.4 | – |
| 1912 | – | 54.3 | – |
| 1911 | – | 51.2 | – |
| 1910 | – | 53.3 | – |
| 1909 | – | 51.7 | – |
| 1908 | – | 51 | – |
| 1907 | – | 50.6 | – |
| 1906 | – | 49.6 | – |
| 1905 | – | 49.9 | – |
| 1904 | – | 48.2 | – |
| 1903 | – | 49.5 | – |
| 1902 | – | 48.4 | – |
| 1901 | – | 46.9 | – |
| 1900 | – | 45.6 | – |
| 1899 | – | 45.2 | – |
| 1898 | – | 46.1 | – |
| 1897 | – | 46.5 | – |
| 1896 | – | 47.1 | – |
| 1895 | – | 45.4 | – |
| 1894 | – | 48.3 | – |
| 1893 | – | 44.7 | – |
| 1892 | – | 45.6 | – |
| 1891 | – | 44.4 | – |
| 1890 | – | 44.1 | – |
| 1889 | – | 45.9 | – |
| 1888 | – | 46.3 | – |
| 1887 | – | 45.1 | – |
| 1886 | – | 44.6 | – |
| 1885 | – | 44.6 | – |
| 1884 | – | 43.6 | – |
| 1883 | – | 44 | – |
| 1882 | – | 44 | – |
| 1881 | – | 45.1 | – |
| 1880 | – | 43 | – |
| 1879 | – | 43.5 | – |
| 1878 | – | 42 | – |
| 1877 | – | 43.7 | – |
| 1876 | – | 42.7 | – |
| 1875 | – | 41.5 | – |
| 1874 | – | 42.1 | – |
| 1873 | – | 43.3 | – |
| 1872 | – | 42.7 | – |
| 1871 | – | 41.1 | – |
| 1870 | – | 40.6 | – |
| 1869 | – | 41.3 | – |
| 1868 | – | 41.7 | – |
| 1867 | – | 42 | – |
| 1866 | – | 40.1 | – |
| 1865 | – | 39.8 | – |
| 1864 | – | 39.6 | – |
| 1863 | – | 40.4 | – |
| 1862 | – | 42.1 | – |
| 1861 | – | 41.6 | – |
| 1860 | – | 42 | – |
| 1859 | – | 40.4 | – |
| 1858 | – | 39.6 | – |
| 1857 | – | 40.9 | – |
| 1856 | – | 42.5 | – |
| 1855 | – | 40.7 | – |
| 1854 | – | 39.5 | – |
| 1853 | – | 40 | – |
| 1852 | – | 40.4 | – |
| 1851 | – | 41 | – |
| 1850 | – | 42.8 | – |
| 1849 | – | 37.7 | – |
| 1848 | – | 39.9 | – |
| 1847 | – | 38.5 | – |
| 1846 | – | 40.2 | – |
| 1845 | – | 42.2 | – |
| 1844 | – | 41.2 | – |
| 1843 | – | 41.6 | – |
| 1842 | – | 41 | – |
| 1838 | – | 40.6 | – |
| 1833 | – | 40.9 | – |
| 1828 | – | 41.4 | – |
| 1823 | – | 40.5 | – |
| 1818 | – | 40.8 | – |
| 1813 | – | 41.3 | – |
| 1808 | – | 40.6 | – |
| 1803 | – | 40 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Our World in Data
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | China | United Kingdom | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7876.6–79.4 | 81.580.6–82.3 | 73.3 |
| 2025 | 78.476.6–80.1 | 81.680.3–82.8 | 73.5 |
| 2026 | 7977–80.9 | 81.880.2–83.3 | 73.8 |
| 2027 | 79.276.9–81.3 | 81.980–83.7 | 73.9 |
| 2028 | 79.476.9–81.7 | 8279.9–83.9 | 74.1 |
| 2029 | 79.676.8–82 | 82.279.9–84.3 | 74.2 |
| 2030 | 79.876.8–82.5 | 82.479.9–84.6 | 74.4 |
| 2031 | 8076.7–82.6 | 82.579.9–84.9 | 74.5 |
| 2032 | 80.277–83 | 82.779.9–85.1 | 74.7 |
| 2033 | 80.476.8–83.5 | 82.879.9–85.4 | 74.8 |
| 2034 | 80.677.1–83.8 | 82.979.9–85.6 | 75 |
| 2035 | 80.877.1–84 | 83.179.8–85.9 | 75.1 |
| 2036 | 8177.1–84.3 | 83.279.9–86.1 | 75.3 |
| 2037 | 81.277.1–84.7 | 83.479.9–86.2 | 75.4 |
| 2038 | 81.477.2–84.9 | 83.579.8–86.5 | 75.5 |
| 2039 | 81.577.2–85.2 | 83.679.8–86.7 | 75.7 |
| 2040 | 81.777.4–85.4 | 83.879.8–87 | 75.8 |
| 2041 | 81.977.2–85.6 | 83.980–87.3 | 75.9 |
| 2042 | 82.177.4–85.8 | 8479.9–87.6 | 76.1 |
| 2043 | 82.277.4–86.2 | 84.279.9–87.8 | 76.2 |
| 2044 | 82.477.5–86.3 | 84.379.9–88 | 76.3 |
| 2045 | 82.677.7–86.5 | 84.579.9–88.3 | 76.5 |
| 2046 | 82.777.7–86.8 | 84.680.2–88.4 | 76.6 |
| 2047 | 82.977.9–86.9 | 84.780–88.6 | 76.7 |
| 2048 | 83.177.7–87.1 | 84.880.1–88.9 | 76.8 |
| 2049 | 83.277.9–87.3 | 84.980.2–89.1 | 76.9 |
| 2050 | 83.477.9–87.5 | 85.180.2–89.2 | 77 |
| 2051 | 83.577.9–87.7 | 85.280.4–89.5 | 77.1 |
| 2052 | 83.778.2–88 | 85.380.6–89.7 | 77.2 |
| 2053 | 83.878.2–88.4 | 85.580.7–90 | 77.3 |
| 2054 | 8478.4–88.4 | 85.680.8–90.2 | 77.4 |
| 2055 | 84.178.4–88.7 | 85.780.8–90.4 | 77.6 |
| 2056 | 84.378.8–89.1 | 85.880.8–90.5 | 77.7 |
| 2057 | 84.578.8–89.4 | 85.980.8–90.9 | 77.8 |
| 2058 | 84.679.1–89.6 | 86.180.9–91 | 77.9 |
| 2059 | 84.779–89.6 | 86.281.1–91.1 | 78 |
| 2060 | 84.979.2–89.9 | 86.381.1–91.3 | 78.1 |
| 2061 | 8579.4–90 | 86.481.2–91.5 | 78.2 |
| 2062 | 85.279.4–90.2 | 86.581.3–91.8 | 78.3 |
| 2063 | 85.379.4–90.4 | 86.681.4–92 | 78.4 |
| 2064 | 85.579.7–90.5 | 86.881.3–92.2 | 78.5 |
| 2065 | 85.680–90.9 | 86.981.6–92.4 | 78.6 |
| 2066 | 85.779.9–91.1 | 8781.7–92.5 | 78.7 |
| 2067 | 85.980.1–91.2 | 87.181.8–92.8 | 78.8 |
| 2068 | 8680.1–91.5 | 87.281.7–92.9 | 78.9 |
| 2069 | 86.180.2–91.6 | 87.381.9–93.1 | 79 |
| 2070 | 86.380.4–91.7 | 87.481.9–93.4 | 79.1 |
| 2071 | 86.480.4–91.9 | 87.582.2–93.4 | 79.2 |
| 2072 | 86.580.5–92.2 | 87.682.1–93.7 | 79.3 |
| 2073 | 86.680.8–92.4 | 87.882.3–93.8 | 79.4 |
| 2074 | 86.881.1–92.7 | 87.982.3–93.9 | 79.4 |
| 2075 | 86.981.1–92.9 | 8882.4–94 | 79.5 |
| 2076 | 8781.1–93.1 | 88.182.3–94.2 | 79.6 |
| 2077 | 87.181.2–93.2 | 88.282.4–94.5 | 79.7 |
| 2078 | 87.381.5–93.5 | 88.382.6–94.7 | 79.8 |
| 2079 | 87.481.4–93.6 | 88.482.5–94.8 | 79.9 |
| 2080 | 87.581.5–93.8 | 88.582.6–94.9 | 80 |
| 2081 | 87.681.7–93.8 | 88.682.5–95.1 | 80.1 |
| 2082 | 87.781.9–94.1 | 88.782.5–95.4 | 80.2 |
| 2083 | 87.881.9–94.1 | 88.882.5–95.5 | 80.3 |
| 2084 | 8882.2–94.2 | 88.982.6–95.6 | 80.3 |
| 2085 | 88.182.3–94.5 | 8982.7–95.8 | 80.4 |
| 2086 | 88.282.4–94.7 | 89.182.8–96.2 | 80.5 |
| 2087 | 88.382.6–94.9 | 89.283–96.4 | 80.6 |
| 2088 | 88.482.7–95.1 | 89.382.9–96.6 | 80.7 |
| 2089 | 88.582.9–95.2 | 89.482.9–96.8 | 80.8 |
| 2090 | 88.783–95.3 | 89.582.9–96.9 | 80.9 |
| 2091 | 88.883–95.4 | 89.683.1–97 | 81 |
| 2092 | 88.983–95.7 | 89.883.1–97.1 | 81 |
| 2093 | 8982.9–95.9 | 89.983.2–97.2 | 81.1 |
| 2094 | 89.183–95.9 | 9083.3–97.4 | 81.2 |
| 2095 | 89.283.1–96.2 | 90.183.2–97.5 | 81.3 |
| 2096 | 89.483.2–96.3 | 90.283.3–97.6 | 81.4 |
| 2097 | 89.583.3–96.5 | 90.383.4–97.7 | 81.5 |
| 2098 | 89.683.2–96.6 | 90.483.5–98 | 81.6 |
| 2099 | 89.783.4–96.9 | 90.583.4–98 | 81.7 |
| 2100 | 89.883.5–97.2 | 90.683.7–98.3 | 81.7 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How long a newborn would live on average if the year’s death rates held all its life.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- Before 1950: Our World in Data, long-run life expectancy.
- 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
China vs United Kingdom
Health
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025