China
Population in China
Population in China: 544 million people in 1950 and 1.42 billion people in 2023, by UN estimates.
- Latest, 2023
- 1.42 billion people
- Since 1950
- +879 million people
- Rank, 2023
- 2 of 229
- counting from the highest
- World, 2023
- 8.09 billion people
- Projected, 2100
- 633 million people
- UN projection (medium variant)
people · UN
What the numbers say
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts it at 633 million people in 2100, between 404 million people and 890 million people (95% prediction interval).
- The highest was 1.43 billion people in 2020, the lowest 544 million people in 1950.
- Older estimates from HYDE and Gapminder reach back to 1800: 330 million people.
Every year
people · UN
| Year | China | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.42 billion | 8.09 billion |
| 2022 | 1.43 billion | 8.02 billion |
| 2021 | 1.43 billion | 7.95 billion |
| 2020 | 1.43 billion | 7.89 billion |
| 2019 | 1.42 billion | 7.81 billion |
| 2018 | 1.42 billion | 7.73 billion |
| 2017 | 1.41 billion | 7.65 billion |
| 2016 | 1.4 billion | 7.56 billion |
| 2015 | 1.4 billion | 7.47 billion |
| 2014 | 1.39 billion | 7.38 billion |
| 2013 | 1.38 billion | 7.29 billion |
| 2012 | 1.37 billion | 7.2 billion |
| 2011 | 1.36 billion | 7.11 billion |
| 2010 | 1.35 billion | 7.02 billion |
| 2009 | 1.34 billion | 6.93 billion |
| 2008 | 1.33 billion | 6.84 billion |
| 2007 | 1.33 billion | 6.76 billion |
| 2006 | 1.32 billion | 6.67 billion |
| 2005 | 1.31 billion | 6.59 billion |
| 2004 | 1.3 billion | 6.5 billion |
| 2003 | 1.3 billion | 6.42 billion |
| 2002 | 1.29 billion | 6.34 billion |
| 2001 | 1.28 billion | 6.26 billion |
| 2000 | 1.27 billion | 6.17 billion |
| 1999 | 1.26 billion | 6.09 billion |
| 1998 | 1.25 billion | 6.01 billion |
| 1997 | 1.24 billion | 5.93 billion |
| 1996 | 1.23 billion | 5.84 billion |
| 1995 | 1.22 billion | 5.76 billion |
| 1994 | 1.21 billion | 5.68 billion |
| 1993 | 1.2 billion | 5.59 billion |
| 1992 | 1.19 billion | 5.51 billion |
| 1991 | 1.17 billion | 5.42 billion |
| 1990 | 1.15 billion | 5.33 billion |
| 1989 | 1.13 billion | 5.23 billion |
| 1988 | 1.12 billion | 5.14 billion |
| 1987 | 1.1 billion | 5.05 billion |
| 1986 | 1.08 billion | 4.96 billion |
| 1985 | 1.06 billion | 4.87 billion |
| 1984 | 1.04 billion | 4.78 billion |
| 1983 | 1.03 billion | 4.7 billion |
| 1982 | 1.01 billion | 4.61 billion |
| 1981 | 998 million | 4.53 billion |
| 1980 | 983 million | 4.45 billion |
| 1979 | 969 million | 4.37 billion |
| 1978 | 956 million | 4.29 billion |
| 1977 | 944 million | 4.22 billion |
| 1976 | 930 million | 4.14 billion |
| 1975 | 916 million | 4.07 billion |
| 1974 | 900 million | 4 billion |
| 1973 | 883 million | 3.92 billion |
| 1972 | 864 million | 3.85 billion |
| 1971 | 844 million | 3.77 billion |
| 1970 | 823 million | 3.7 billion |
| 1969 | 802 million | 3.62 billion |
| 1968 | 781 million | 3.55 billion |
| 1967 | 761 million | 3.47 billion |
| 1966 | 742 million | 3.4 billion |
| 1965 | 723 million | 3.34 billion |
| 1964 | 705 million | 3.26 billion |
| 1963 | 685 million | 3.19 billion |
| 1962 | 665 million | 3.12 billion |
| 1961 | 656 million | 3.07 billion |
| 1960 | 655 million | 3.02 billion |
| 1959 | 653 million | 2.97 billion |
| 1958 | 644 million | 2.91 billion |
| 1957 | 630 million | 2.85 billion |
| 1956 | 617 million | 2.8 billion |
| 1955 | 604 million | 2.74 billion |
| 1954 | 590 million | 2.69 billion |
| 1953 | 578 million | 2.63 billion |
| 1952 | 565 million | 2.58 billion |
| 1951 | 554 million | 2.54 billion |
| 1950 | 544 million | 2.49 billion |
| 1949 | 538 million | – |
| 1948 | 534 million | – |
| 1947 | 531 million | – |
| 1946 | 528 million | – |
| 1945 | 525 million | – |
| 1944 | 522 million | – |
| 1943 | 520 million | – |
| 1942 | 517 million | – |
| 1941 | 514 million | – |
| 1940 | 511 million | – |
| 1939 | 508 million | – |
| 1938 | 506 million | – |
| 1937 | 503 million | – |
| 1936 | 500 million | – |
| 1935 | 497 million | – |
| 1934 | 494 million | – |
| 1933 | 491 million | – |
| 1932 | 488 million | – |
| 1931 | 485 million | – |
| 1930 | 483 million | – |
| 1929 | 481 million | – |
| 1928 | 479 million | – |
| 1927 | 477 million | – |
| 1926 | 475 million | – |
| 1925 | 474 million | – |
| 1924 | 472 million | – |
| 1923 | 470 million | – |
| 1922 | 469 million | – |
| 1921 | 466 million | – |
| 1920 | 463 million | – |
| 1919 | 460 million | – |
| 1918 | 455 million | – |
| 1917 | 450 million | – |
| 1916 | 446 million | – |
| 1915 | 441 million | – |
| 1914 | 436 million | – |
| 1913 | 431 million | – |
| 1912 | 427 million | – |
| 1911 | 423 million | – |
| 1910 | 419 million | – |
| 1909 | 416 million | – |
| 1908 | 413 million | – |
| 1907 | 411 million | – |
| 1906 | 409 million | – |
| 1905 | 407 million | – |
| 1904 | 404 million | – |
| 1903 | 402 million | – |
| 1902 | 400 million | – |
| 1901 | 398 million | – |
| 1900 | 396 million | – |
| 1899 | 394 million | – |
| 1898 | 392 million | – |
| 1897 | 390 million | – |
| 1896 | 388 million | – |
| 1895 | 386 million | – |
| 1894 | 384 million | – |
| 1893 | 382 million | – |
| 1892 | 381 million | – |
| 1891 | 379 million | – |
| 1890 | 377 million | – |
| 1889 | 376 million | – |
| 1888 | 375 million | – |
| 1887 | 373 million | – |
| 1886 | 372 million | – |
| 1885 | 371 million | – |
| 1884 | 370 million | – |
| 1883 | 369 million | – |
| 1882 | 368 million | – |
| 1881 | 367 million | – |
| 1880 | 366 million | – |
| 1879 | 365 million | – |
| 1878 | 364 million | – |
| 1877 | 363 million | – |
| 1876 | 362 million | – |
| 1875 | 361 million | – |
| 1874 | 360 million | – |
| 1873 | 359 million | – |
| 1872 | 358 million | – |
| 1871 | 358 million | – |
| 1870 | 358 million | – |
| 1869 | 359 million | – |
| 1868 | 360 million | – |
| 1867 | 362 million | – |
| 1866 | 364 million | – |
| 1865 | 366 million | – |
| 1864 | 368 million | – |
| 1863 | 370 million | – |
| 1862 | 372 million | – |
| 1861 | 375 million | – |
| 1860 | 377 million | – |
| 1859 | 380 million | – |
| 1858 | 383 million | – |
| 1857 | 387 million | – |
| 1856 | 390 million | – |
| 1855 | 394 million | – |
| 1854 | 397 million | – |
| 1853 | 401 million | – |
| 1852 | 405 million | – |
| 1851 | 408 million | – |
| 1850 | 410 million | – |
| 1849 | 411 million | – |
| 1848 | 412 million | – |
| 1847 | 412 million | – |
| 1846 | 412 million | – |
| 1845 | 412 million | – |
| 1844 | 412 million | – |
| 1843 | 412 million | – |
| 1842 | 412 million | – |
| 1841 | 412 million | – |
| 1840 | 412 million | – |
| 1839 | 412 million | – |
| 1838 | 411 million | – |
| 1837 | 411 million | – |
| 1836 | 411 million | – |
| 1835 | 411 million | – |
| 1834 | 410 million | – |
| 1833 | 410 million | – |
| 1832 | 410 million | – |
| 1831 | 409 million | – |
| 1830 | 407 million | – |
| 1829 | 406 million | – |
| 1828 | 403 million | – |
| 1827 | 400 million | – |
| 1826 | 398 million | – |
| 1825 | 395 million | – |
| 1824 | 392 million | – |
| 1823 | 389 million | – |
| 1822 | 387 million | – |
| 1821 | 384 million | – |
| 1820 | 380 million | – |
| 1819 | 377 million | – |
| 1818 | 374 million | – |
| 1817 | 370 million | – |
| 1816 | 367 million | – |
| 1815 | 363 million | – |
| 1814 | 360 million | – |
| 1813 | 356 million | – |
| 1812 | 353 million | – |
| 1811 | 350 million | – |
| 1810 | 347 million | – |
| 1809 | 344 million | – |
| 1808 | 343 million | – |
| 1807 | 341 million | – |
| 1806 | 339 million | – |
| 1805 | 338 million | – |
| 1804 | 336 million | – |
| 1803 | 335 million | – |
| 1802 | 333 million | – |
| 1801 | 332 million | – |
| 1800 | 330 million | – |
- 12.3Estimates, HYDE and Gapminder
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | China | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1.42 billion1.42 billion–1.42 billion | 8.16 billion |
| 2025 | 1.42 billion1.41 billion–1.42 billion | 8.23 billion |
| 2026 | 1.41 billion1.41 billion–1.42 billion | 8.3 billion |
| 2027 | 1.41 billion1.4 billion–1.42 billion | 8.37 billion |
| 2028 | 1.41 billion1.39 billion–1.42 billion | 8.44 billion |
| 2029 | 1.4 billion1.39 billion–1.42 billion | 8.5 billion |
| 2030 | 1.4 billion1.38 billion–1.42 billion | 8.57 billion |
| 2031 | 1.39 billion1.37 billion–1.42 billion | 8.63 billion |
| 2032 | 1.39 billion1.36 billion–1.41 billion | 8.7 billion |
| 2033 | 1.38 billion1.35 billion–1.41 billion | 8.76 billion |
| 2034 | 1.38 billion1.35 billion–1.41 billion | 8.82 billion |
| 2035 | 1.37 billion1.34 billion–1.41 billion | 8.89 billion |
| 2036 | 1.37 billion1.33 billion–1.41 billion | 8.95 billion |
| 2037 | 1.36 billion1.32 billion–1.41 billion | 9.01 billion |
| 2038 | 1.36 billion1.31 billion–1.4 billion | 9.06 billion |
| 2039 | 1.35 billion1.3 billion–1.4 billion | 9.12 billion |
| 2040 | 1.34 billion1.28 billion–1.4 billion | 9.18 billion |
| 2041 | 1.34 billion1.27 billion–1.39 billion | 9.23 billion |
| 2042 | 1.33 billion1.26 billion–1.39 billion | 9.29 billion |
| 2043 | 1.32 billion1.25 billion–1.39 billion | 9.34 billion |
| 2044 | 1.31 billion1.24 billion–1.38 billion | 9.39 billion |
| 2045 | 1.31 billion1.23 billion–1.38 billion | 9.44 billion |
| 2046 | 1.3 billion1.21 billion–1.38 billion | 9.49 billion |
| 2047 | 1.29 billion1.2 billion–1.37 billion | 9.54 billion |
| 2048 | 1.28 billion1.19 billion–1.37 billion | 9.58 billion |
| 2049 | 1.27 billion1.17 billion–1.36 billion | 9.62 billion |
| 2050 | 1.26 billion1.16 billion–1.35 billion | 9.66 billion |
| 2051 | 1.25 billion1.14 billion–1.35 billion | 9.7 billion |
| 2052 | 1.24 billion1.13 billion–1.34 billion | 9.74 billion |
| 2053 | 1.23 billion1.11 billion–1.33 billion | 9.78 billion |
| 2054 | 1.22 billion1.1 billion–1.32 billion | 9.81 billion |
| 2055 | 1.2 billion1.08 billion–1.31 billion | 9.85 billion |
| 2056 | 1.19 billion1.06 billion–1.3 billion | 9.88 billion |
| 2057 | 1.18 billion1.05 billion–1.29 billion | 9.91 billion |
| 2058 | 1.16 billion1.03 billion–1.29 billion | 9.94 billion |
| 2059 | 1.15 billion1.01 billion–1.28 billion | 9.96 billion |
| 2060 | 1.14 billion998 million–1.26 billion | 9.99 billion |
| 2061 | 1.12 billion981 million–1.25 billion | 10 billion |
| 2062 | 1.11 billion963 million–1.24 billion | 10 billion |
| 2063 | 1.09 billion947 million–1.23 billion | 10.1 billion |
| 2064 | 1.08 billion932 million–1.22 billion | 10.1 billion |
| 2065 | 1.07 billion915 million–1.21 billion | 10.1 billion |
| 2066 | 1.05 billion898 million–1.2 billion | 10.1 billion |
| 2067 | 1.04 billion881 million–1.19 billion | 10.1 billion |
| 2068 | 1.03 billion867 million–1.18 billion | 10.2 billion |
| 2069 | 1.01 billion852 million–1.17 billion | 10.2 billion |
| 2070 | 999 million836 million–1.16 billion | 10.2 billion |
| 2071 | 986 million822 million–1.15 billion | 10.2 billion |
| 2072 | 973 million807 million–1.14 billion | 10.2 billion |
| 2073 | 960 million792 million–1.13 billion | 10.2 billion |
| 2074 | 947 million776 million–1.12 billion | 10.2 billion |
| 2075 | 935 million760 million–1.11 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2076 | 922 million743 million–1.1 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2077 | 909 million728 million–1.09 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2078 | 896 million713 million–1.08 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2079 | 883 million697 million–1.08 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2080 | 870 million681 million–1.07 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2081 | 857 million664 million–1.06 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2082 | 844 million648 million–1.05 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2083 | 832 million633 million–1.04 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2084 | 819 million618 million–1.03 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2085 | 806 million604 million–1.02 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2086 | 794 million591 million–1.01 billion | 10.3 billion |
| 2087 | 781 million576 million–994 million | 10.3 billion |
| 2088 | 769 million562 million–984 million | 10.3 billion |
| 2089 | 757 million548 million–975 million | 10.3 billion |
| 2090 | 745 million534 million–967 million | 10.3 billion |
| 2091 | 733 million520 million–959 million | 10.3 billion |
| 2092 | 722 million507 million–951 million | 10.3 billion |
| 2093 | 710 million493 million–944 million | 10.3 billion |
| 2094 | 699 million480 million–937 million | 10.2 billion |
| 2095 | 688 million468 million–929 million | 10.2 billion |
| 2096 | 677 million455 million–920 million | 10.2 billion |
| 2097 | 666 million443 million–913 million | 10.2 billion |
| 2098 | 655 million431 million–906 million | 10.2 billion |
| 2099 | 644 million417 million–899 million | 10.2 billion |
| 2100 | 633 million404 million–890 million | 10.2 billion |
Good to know
- Everyone living in the country on 1 July of each year.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- Before 1950: HYDE (2023), Gapminder (2022) and UN WPP (2024), via Our World in Data.
- 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 in numbers
Every measure for China on one page
Health
People
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending1.73% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollars$335B in 2025
- Military spending per person$237 in 2025
- Military share of state spending5.1% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnel2.54 million people in 2020
- National power23.41% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers0.33% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports207 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exports880 million TIV in 2025