China vs United Kingdom
China vs United Kingdom: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 9.3 years in China and 11.5 years in United Kingdom, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 2.3 years, or 1.24 times that in China.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2017.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | China | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 9.3 | 11.5 |
| 2018 | 9.2 | 11.5 |
| 2017 | 9.7 | 11.5 |
| 2010 | – | 11.3 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
China vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- 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