China vs United States
China vs United States: Life expectancy
Life expectancy in 2023: 78 years in China and 79.3 years in United States, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in United States, by 1.3 years, or 1.02 times that in China.
years · UN
What the numbers say
- United States has been higher since 2023, when it overtook China.
- In 2023, China ranked 73 and United States ranked 59 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts China at 89.8 years and United States at 89.2 years in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 73.2 years in 2023.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | China | United States | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 78 | 79.3 | 73.2 |
| 2022 | 78.2 | 78 | 72.6 |
| 2021 | 78.1 | 76.4 | 70.9 |
| 2020 | 78 | 77 | 71.9 |
| 2019 | 77.9 | 78.9 | 72.6 |
| 2018 | 77.7 | 78.8 | 72.4 |
| 2017 | 77.2 | 78.7 | 72.1 |
| 2016 | 77.2 | 78.7 | 71.9 |
| 2015 | 77 | 78.7 | 71.6 |
| 2014 | 76.7 | 78.9 | 71.4 |
| 2013 | 76.5 | 78.8 | 71.1 |
| 2012 | 76.2 | 78.8 | 70.8 |
| 2011 | 75.9 | 78.7 | 70.4 |
| 2010 | 75.7 | 78.7 | 70.1 |
| 2009 | 75.3 | 78.5 | 69.7 |
| 2008 | 74.8 | 78.1 | 69.3 |
| 2007 | 74.8 | 78.1 | 69 |
| 2006 | 74.4 | 77.8 | 68.6 |
| 2005 | 74.1 | 77.5 | 68.1 |
| 2004 | 73.7 | 77.5 | 67.7 |
| 2003 | 73.4 | 77.1 | 67.4 |
| 2002 | 73 | 77 | 67.1 |
| 2001 | 72.7 | 76.9 | 66.8 |
| 2000 | 72.3 | 76.8 | 66.4 |
| 1999 | 72 | 76.7 | 66 |
| 1998 | 71.6 | 76.7 | 65.7 |
| 1997 | 71.2 | 76.5 | 65.5 |
| 1996 | 70.8 | 76.2 | 65.2 |
| 1995 | 70.4 | 75.9 | 64.9 |
| 1994 | 69.8 | 75.7 | 64.3 |
| 1993 | 69.5 | 75.6 | 64.4 |
| 1992 | 69.1 | 75.8 | 64.3 |
| 1991 | 68.6 | 75.5 | 64.1 |
| 1990 | 68.2 | 75.4 | 64 |
| 1989 | 67.9 | 75.1 | 63.8 |
| 1988 | 67.6 | 74.8 | 63.4 |
| 1987 | 67.3 | 74.9 | 63.2 |
| 1986 | 66.9 | 74.7 | 62.7 |
| 1985 | 66.5 | 74.7 | 62.2 |
| 1984 | 66.2 | 74.7 | 61.9 |
| 1983 | 65.7 | 74.6 | 61.5 |
| 1982 | 65.3 | 74.5 | 61.3 |
| 1981 | 64.8 | 74.1 | 60.9 |
| 1980 | 64.2 | 73.7 | 60.5 |
| 1979 | 63.7 | 73.8 | 60.2 |
| 1978 | 63.1 | 73.4 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 62.5 | 73.2 | 59.2 |
| 1976 | 61.2 | 72.8 | 58.6 |
| 1975 | 61 | 72.5 | 58.3 |
| 1974 | 60.2 | 72 | 58.1 |
| 1973 | 59.5 | 71.4 | 57.7 |
| 1972 | 58.6 | 71.2 | 57.2 |
| 1971 | 57.7 | 71.1 | 56 |
| 1970 | 56.8 | 70.7 | 56.3 |
| 1969 | 56 | 70.5 | 56 |
| 1968 | 55.2 | 70.2 | 55.6 |
| 1967 | 54.4 | 70.5 | 55.1 |
| 1966 | 53.7 | 70.2 | 54.6 |
| 1965 | 53 | 70.3 | 54 |
| 1964 | 52.3 | 70.2 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 51.7 | 69.9 | 53.7 |
| 1962 | 51 | 70.1 | 53.2 |
| 1961 | 40.2 | 70.3 | 50.4 |
| 1960 | 33.4 | 69.8 | 47.8 |
| 1959 | 40.2 | 69.9 | 49.6 |
| 1958 | 48.8 | 69.7 | 51.6 |
| 1957 | 48.4 | 69.4 | 51.1 |
| 1956 | 47.8 | 69.6 | 50.7 |
| 1955 | 47.2 | 69.6 | 50.2 |
| 1954 | 46.8 | 69.5 | 49.7 |
| 1953 | 45.9 | 68.7 | 48.8 |
| 1952 | 45.3 | 68.4 | 48.2 |
| 1951 | 44.6 | 68.2 | 47.1 |
| 1950 | 43.8 | 68.1 | 46.4 |
| 1949 | 41 | 67.6 | – |
| 1948 | – | 67.2 | – |
| 1947 | – | 66.8 | – |
| 1946 | – | 66.1 | – |
| 1945 | – | 65.6 | – |
| 1944 | – | 65.1 | – |
| 1943 | – | 64.4 | – |
| 1942 | 37 | 64.5 | – |
| 1941 | – | 63.8 | – |
| 1940 | – | 63.2 | – |
| 1939 | – | 63.1 | – |
| 1938 | – | 62.4 | – |
| 1937 | – | 61 | – |
| 1936 | 35 | 60.4 | – |
| 1935 | – | 60.9 | – |
| 1934 | 34 | 60.2 | – |
| 1933 | – | 60.9 | – |
| 1932 | – | 61 | – |
| 1931 | – | 60.3 | – |
| 1930 | 32 | 59.6 | – |
| 1929 | – | 58.5 | – |
| 1928 | – | 58.3 | – |
| 1927 | – | 59.4 | – |
| 1926 | – | 57.9 | – |
| 1925 | – | 58.5 | – |
| 1924 | – | 58.5 | – |
| 1923 | – | 57.5 | – |
| 1922 | – | 58.1 | – |
| 1921 | – | 58.2 | – |
| 1920 | – | 55.4 | – |
| 1919 | – | 55.3 | – |
| 1918 | – | 47.2 | – |
| 1917 | – | 54 | – |
| 1916 | – | 54.2 | – |
| 1915 | – | 55.1 | – |
| 1914 | – | 54.6 | – |
| 1913 | – | 53.5 | – |
| 1912 | – | 54.1 | – |
| 1911 | – | 53.4 | – |
| 1910 | – | 51.8 | – |
| 1909 | – | 52.8 | – |
| 1908 | – | 51.9 | – |
| 1907 | – | 50.2 | – |
| 1906 | – | 50.1 | – |
| 1905 | – | 50.3 | – |
| 1904 | – | 49.6 | – |
| 1903 | – | 50.6 | – |
| 1902 | – | 50.5 | – |
| 1901 | – | 49.3 | – |
| 1890 | – | 45.2 | – |
| 1880 | – | 39.4 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Our World in Data
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | China | United States | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7876.6–79.4 | 79.578.5–80.5 | 73.3 |
| 2025 | 78.476.6–80.1 | 79.678.2–80.9 | 73.5 |
| 2026 | 7977–80.9 | 79.878.1–81.4 | 73.8 |
| 2027 | 79.276.9–81.3 | 79.978–81.7 | 73.9 |
| 2028 | 79.476.9–81.7 | 80.177.8–82.1 | 74.1 |
| 2029 | 79.676.8–82 | 80.277.7–82.4 | 74.2 |
| 2030 | 79.876.8–82.5 | 80.477.7–82.8 | 74.4 |
| 2031 | 8076.7–82.6 | 80.577.7–83.1 | 74.5 |
| 2032 | 80.277–83 | 80.777.6–83.4 | 74.7 |
| 2033 | 80.476.8–83.5 | 80.877.5–83.7 | 74.8 |
| 2034 | 80.677.1–83.8 | 8177.5–84 | 75 |
| 2035 | 80.877.1–84 | 81.177.5–84.3 | 75.1 |
| 2036 | 8177.1–84.3 | 81.377.5–84.6 | 75.3 |
| 2037 | 81.277.1–84.7 | 81.477.4–84.8 | 75.4 |
| 2038 | 81.477.2–84.9 | 81.677.4–85 | 75.5 |
| 2039 | 81.577.2–85.2 | 81.777.5–85.3 | 75.7 |
| 2040 | 81.777.4–85.4 | 81.877.5–85.4 | 75.8 |
| 2041 | 81.977.2–85.6 | 8277.5–85.7 | 75.9 |
| 2042 | 82.177.4–85.8 | 82.177.5–85.9 | 76.1 |
| 2043 | 82.277.4–86.2 | 82.377.6–86.1 | 76.2 |
| 2044 | 82.477.5–86.3 | 82.477.5–86.4 | 76.3 |
| 2045 | 82.677.7–86.5 | 82.577.8–86.6 | 76.5 |
| 2046 | 82.777.7–86.8 | 82.777.7–86.8 | 76.6 |
| 2047 | 82.977.9–86.9 | 82.877.7–87 | 76.7 |
| 2048 | 83.177.7–87.1 | 8377.9–87.2 | 76.8 |
| 2049 | 83.277.9–87.3 | 83.177.8–87.2 | 76.9 |
| 2050 | 83.477.9–87.5 | 83.277.9–87.5 | 77 |
| 2051 | 83.577.9–87.7 | 83.478.1–87.8 | 77.1 |
| 2052 | 83.778.2–88 | 83.578–88.1 | 77.2 |
| 2053 | 83.878.2–88.4 | 83.778–88.3 | 77.3 |
| 2054 | 8478.4–88.4 | 83.878.1–88.6 | 77.4 |
| 2055 | 84.178.4–88.7 | 83.978.4–88.7 | 77.6 |
| 2056 | 84.378.8–89.1 | 84.178.2–88.9 | 77.7 |
| 2057 | 84.578.8–89.4 | 84.278.4–89.4 | 77.8 |
| 2058 | 84.679.1–89.6 | 84.378.6–89.5 | 77.9 |
| 2059 | 84.779–89.6 | 84.478.5–89.7 | 78 |
| 2060 | 84.979.2–89.9 | 84.678.7–90 | 78.1 |
| 2061 | 8579.4–90 | 84.778.6–90.1 | 78.2 |
| 2062 | 85.279.4–90.2 | 84.878.7–90.4 | 78.3 |
| 2063 | 85.379.4–90.4 | 8578.8–90.5 | 78.4 |
| 2064 | 85.579.7–90.5 | 85.178.9–90.7 | 78.5 |
| 2065 | 85.680–90.9 | 85.278.8–90.7 | 78.6 |
| 2066 | 85.779.9–91.1 | 85.379.1–90.8 | 78.7 |
| 2067 | 85.980.1–91.2 | 85.579.4–90.8 | 78.8 |
| 2068 | 8680.1–91.5 | 85.679.3–91 | 78.9 |
| 2069 | 86.180.2–91.6 | 85.779.3–91.4 | 79 |
| 2070 | 86.380.4–91.7 | 85.879.6–91.8 | 79.1 |
| 2071 | 86.480.4–91.9 | 85.979.4–91.9 | 79.2 |
| 2072 | 86.580.5–92.2 | 8679.5–92.1 | 79.3 |
| 2073 | 86.680.8–92.4 | 86.279.6–92.1 | 79.4 |
| 2074 | 86.881.1–92.7 | 86.379.6–92.3 | 79.4 |
| 2075 | 86.981.1–92.9 | 86.479.9–92.4 | 79.5 |
| 2076 | 8781.1–93.1 | 86.579.7–92.6 | 79.6 |
| 2077 | 87.181.2–93.2 | 86.679.7–92.7 | 79.7 |
| 2078 | 87.381.5–93.5 | 86.779.9–93 | 79.8 |
| 2079 | 87.481.4–93.6 | 86.879.8–93.3 | 79.9 |
| 2080 | 87.581.5–93.8 | 8780.2–93.5 | 80 |
| 2081 | 87.681.7–93.8 | 87.180–93.7 | 80.1 |
| 2082 | 87.781.9–94.1 | 87.280.1–93.7 | 80.2 |
| 2083 | 87.881.9–94.1 | 87.380.3–93.9 | 80.3 |
| 2084 | 8882.2–94.2 | 87.480.3–94 | 80.3 |
| 2085 | 88.182.3–94.5 | 87.580.3–94.2 | 80.4 |
| 2086 | 88.282.4–94.7 | 87.680.6–94.5 | 80.5 |
| 2087 | 88.382.6–94.9 | 87.880.6–94.7 | 80.6 |
| 2088 | 88.482.7–95.1 | 87.980.2–94.7 | 80.7 |
| 2089 | 88.582.9–95.2 | 8880.7–95 | 80.8 |
| 2090 | 88.783–95.3 | 88.180.9–95.1 | 80.9 |
| 2091 | 88.883–95.4 | 88.280.7–95.4 | 81 |
| 2092 | 88.983–95.7 | 88.381–95.6 | 81 |
| 2093 | 8982.9–95.9 | 88.481–95.8 | 81.1 |
| 2094 | 89.183–95.9 | 88.581.3–95.9 | 81.2 |
| 2095 | 89.283.1–96.2 | 88.681.5–96 | 81.3 |
| 2096 | 89.483.2–96.3 | 88.781.4–96.2 | 81.4 |
| 2097 | 89.583.3–96.5 | 88.981.1–96.3 | 81.5 |
| 2098 | 89.683.2–96.6 | 8981.5–96.6 | 81.6 |
| 2099 | 89.783.4–96.9 | 89.181.5–96.5 | 81.7 |
| 2100 | 89.883.5–97.2 | 89.281.5–96.7 | 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 States
Health
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024United States: 0.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United States: 5.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017United States: 4.84% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017United States: 12.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023United States: 344 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023United States: 0.58% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023United States: 1.62 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025United States: 80.2% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023United States: 38 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023United States: 17.4% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023United States: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025United States: 3.12% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025United States: $929B in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025United States: $2,755 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025United States: 8.3% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020United States: 1.4 million people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022United States: 12.36% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020United States: 0.84% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025United States: 745 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025United States: 14 billion TIV in 2025