China Population (LIVE)

retrieving data...
China Population (1950 - 2026)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of China is 1,413,553,590 as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
  • China 2026 population is estimated at 1,412,914,089 people at mid-year.
  • China population is equivalent to 17.02% of the total world population.
  • China ranks number 2 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in China is 150 per Km² (390 people per mi²).
  • The total land area is 9,388,211 Km² (3,624,807 sq. miles).
  • 68.68% of the population is urban (970,433,085 people in 2026)
  • The median age in China is 40.6 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of China (2026 and historical)

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population China Global Rank
2026 1,412,914,089 −0.22% −3,182,005 −232,107 40.6 1.03 150 68.7% 970,433,085 17.02% 8,300,678,395 2
2025 1,416,096,094 −0.23% −3,225,184 −268,126 40.1 1.02 151 67.5% 956,553,854 17.20% 8,231,613,070 2
2024 1,419,321,278 −0.23% −3,263,655 −318,992 39.6 1.01 151 66.4% 941,865,672 17.39% 8,161,972,572 2
2023 1,422,584,933 −0.18% −2,594,636 −567,724 39.1 1 152 65.1% 926,375,811 17.58% 8,091,734,930 2
2022 1,425,179,569 −0.03% −463,262 −293,846 38.5 1.03 152 63.9% 910,080,750 17.77% 8,021,407,192 2
2020 1,426,106,093 0.43% 5,994,384 −91,577 37.5 1.24 152 61.4% 875,075,919 18.08% 7,887,001,292 1
2015 1,396,134,174 0.65% 8,914,532 −646,941 35.7 1.67 149 55.5% 775,352,918 18.69% 7,470,491,872 1
2010 1,351,561,514 0.63% 8,306,876 −184,144 34.1 1.69 144 49.5% 669,353,557 19.25% 7,021,732,148 1
2005 1,310,027,136 0.63% 8,089,192 −103,701 31.8 1.62 140 42.9% 561,983,323 19.89% 6,586,970,132 1
2000 1,269,581,175 0.8% 9,889,450 −62,622 29 1.63 135 36.3% 460,377,048 20.57% 6,171,702,993 1
1995 1,220,133,927 1.13% 13,310,241 −365,986 26.1 1.59 130 31.5% 383,901,711 21.19% 5,758,878,982 1
1990 1,153,582,724 1.71% 18,754,981 −11,187 23.7 2.51 123 26.9% 310,022,147 21.65% 5,327,803,110 1
1985 1,059,807,820 1.51% 15,328,856 −60,929 21.7 2.63 113 23.1% 244,946,241 21.77% 4,868,943,465 1
1980 983,163,542 1.42% 13,409,350 −20,129 20.9 2.74 105 19.6% 192,392,094 22.11% 4,447,606,236 1
1975 916,116,793 2.16% 18,561,565 −115,173 19.1 3.57 98 17.5% 160,244,444 22.50% 4,070,735,277 1
1970 823,308,967 2.62% 19,978,647 −126,510 18 6.08 88 17.4% 143,513,192 22.28% 3,694,683,794 1
1965 723,415,733 2.01% 13,722,733 −130,900 18.5 6.61 77 18.1% 130,684,595 21.69% 3,334,533,703 1
1960 654,802,069 1.64% 10,251,012 −16,927 19.9 4.45 70 16.3% 106,561,743 21.71% 3,015,470,894 1
1955 603,547,007 2.1% 11,900,530 −2,402 20.7 6.26 64 14% 84,639,825 22.03% 2,740,213,792 1

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

China Population Forecast

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population China Global Rank
2030 1,398,153,832 −0.25% −3,588,452 −199,192 42.9 1.06 149 72.8% 1,017,847,445 16.32% 8,569,124,911 2
2035 1,373,427,531 −0.36% −4,945,260 −213,426 45.8 1.1 146 77.2% 1,059,618,626 15.46% 8,885,210,181 2
2040 1,342,816,657 −0.45% −6,122,175 −206,247 48.6 1.13 143 80.7% 1,083,464,035 14.63% 9,177,190,203 2
2045 1,306,113,788 −0.55% −7,340,574 −191,600 50.6 1.16 139 83.6% 1,092,037,409 13.84% 9,439,639,668 2
2050 1,260,289,093 −0.71% −9,164,939 −171,498 52.1 1.18 134 86.6% 1,091,948,003 13.04% 9,664,378,587 2

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

China Demographics (2026)

Life Expectancy
79.0 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)

View by sex and historical chart

Infant Mortality Rate
5.4

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Deaths under age 5
6.8

(per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in China

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank Urban Area Population Estimate (2025)
1 Shanghai 29,558,908
2 Guangzhou 27,563,372
3 Beijing 17,013,303
4 Shenzhen 13,878,396
5 Suzhou 7,731,101
6 Hangzhou 7,500,208
7 Wuhan 7,363,548
8 Tianjin 7,285,342
9 Chongqing 7,071,073
10 Nanjing 6,800,676
11 Chaozhou 6,407,770
12 Chengdu 6,139,874
13 Shenyang 5,702,638
14 Xi'an 5,231,053
15 Zhengzhou 4,878,035
16 Hefei 4,867,000
17 Harbin 4,376,259
18 Wenzhou 4,158,195
19 Taiyuan 4,005,816
20 Puning 3,989,322
21 Ürümqi 3,755,144
22 Qingdao 3,616,657
23 Jinan 3,472,980
24 Changsha 3,457,508
25 Changchun 3,349,934
26 Nanchang 3,299,773
27 Nanning 3,288,636
28 Quanzhou 3,286,129
29 Kunming 3,228,117
30 Ningbo 3,094,833
31 Shijiazhuang 2,990,397
32 Fuzhou 2,910,985
33 Dalian 2,796,248
34 Guiyang 2,686,949
35 Changzhou 2,649,836
36 Wuxi 2,613,100
37 Tangshan 2,286,763
38 Lanzhou 2,272,104
39 Cixi 2,177,489
40 Hohhot 1,993,292
41 Putian 1,871,858
42 Yinchuan 1,792,788
43 Xiamen City 1,788,492
44 Handan 1,777,172
45 Luoyang 1,727,744
46 Nantong 1,684,417
47 Wuhu 1,631,043
48 Zibo 1,620,676
49 Datong 1,573,531
50 Baotou 1,491,964
51 Anyang 1,489,112
52 Taizhou 1,483,994
53 Xiuying District 1,458,377
54 Jilin City 1,448,955
55 Xuzhou 1,402,001
56 Liuzhou 1,400,880
57 Xining 1,360,245
58 Huaiyin District 1,349,827
59 Zhongshan 1,326,078
60 Anshan 1,322,386
61 Yichang 1,314,779
62 Zhangzhou 1,232,911
63 Ganzhou 1,216,248
64 Yueqing 1,160,214
65 Huizhou 1,137,670
66 Tianjia‘an 1,100,258
67 Yancheng 1,093,432
68 Kaifeng 1,087,088
69 Zhangjiagang 1,068,192
70 Honghuagang 1,062,992
More info

See also


Notes

The China Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of China delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of China (1950 - 2026) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2026.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2026. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2026: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2026: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by China in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.