China Population (LIVE)

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China Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of China is 1,417,888,202 as of Monday, December 9, 2024, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
  • China 2024 population is estimated at 1,419,321,278 people at mid year.
  • China population is equivalent to 17.39% of the total world population.
  • China ranks number 2 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in China is 151 per Km2 (392 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 9,388,211 Km2 (3,624,807 sq. miles).
  • 66.4 % of the population is urban (941,865,672 people in 2024).
  • The median age in China is 39.6 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of China (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationChina
Global Rank
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 1.00 152 65.1 % 926,375,811 17.58 % 8,091,734,930 2
2022 1,425,179,569 -0.09 % -1,257,698 -293,846 38.5 1.03 152 63.9 % 910,080,750 17.77 % 8,021,407,192 2
2020 1,426,106,093 0.18 % 2,585,736 -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 0.80 % 9,889,450-62,622 29.0 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 18.0 6.09 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 2.10 % 11,900,530 -2,402 20.7 6.26 64 14.0 % 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).
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China Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationChina
Global Rank
2025 1,416,096,094 -0.14 % -2,002,000 -268,126 40.1 1.02 151 67.5 % 956,553,854 17.20 % 8,231,613,070 2
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 1.10 146 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   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

Main Page: Demographics of China
Life Expectancy
78.02 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
6.4
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
8.0
(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in China

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

# CITY NAME POPULATION
1 Shanghai 22,315,474
2 Beijing 18,960,744
3 Shenzhen 17,494,398
4 Guangzhou 16,096,724
5 Chengdu 13,568,357
6 Tianjin 11,090,314
7 Wuhan 10,392,693
8 Dongguan 9,644,871
9 Xi'an 9,600,000
10 Nanjing 9,314,685
11 Hangzhou 9,236,032
12 Foshan 9,042,509
13 Chongqing 7,457,599
14 Qingdao 7,172,451
15 Shenyang 7,050,000
16 Suzhou 6,715,559
17 Harbin 5,242,897
18 Hefei 5,050,000
19 Dalian 4,913,879
20 Changchun 4,714,996
21 Xiamen 4,617,251
22 Wuxi 4,396,835
23 Jinan 4,335,989
24 Taiyuan 4,303,673
25 Zhengzhou 4,253,913
26 Shijiazhuang 3,938,513
27 Kunming 3,855,346
28 Zhongshan 3,841,873
29 Nanning 3,839,800
30 Shantou 3,838,900
31 Fuzhou 3,740,000
32 Ningbo 3,731,203
33 Puyang 3,590,000
34 Shiyan 3,460,000
35 Tangshan 3,372,102
36 Changzhou 3,290,918
37 Zibo 3,129,228
38 Changsha 3,093,980
39 Guiyang 3,037,159
40 UEruemqi 3,029,372
41 Lanzhou 3,000,000
42 Huizhou 2,900,113
43 Haikou 2,873,358
44 Linyi 2,743,843
45 Baoding 2,739,887
46 Wenzhou 2,650,000
47 Yunfu 2,612,800
48 Huai'an 2,494,013
49 Nanchang 2,357,839
50 Hohhot 2,350,000
51 Shaoxing 2,300,000
52 Nantong 2,273,326
53 Yantai 2,227,733
54 Zhuhai 2,207,090
55 Baotou 2,150,000
56 Kunshan 2,092,496
57 Weifang 2,044,028
58 Zunyi 2,037,775
59 Lianyungang 2,001,009
60 Ganzhou 1,977,253
61 Ordos 1,940,653
62 Jieyang 1,899,394
63 Jilin 1,895,865
64 Nanchong 1,858,875
65 Datong 1,850,000
66 Nanyang 1,811,812
67 Jiangmen 1,795,459
68 Jiangyin 1,779,515
69 Fuyang 1,768,947
70 Bayan Nur 1,760,000

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 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. 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 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). 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 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). 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.