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China population

China: 1.41 billion people in 2025 (1,406,585,000), 2nd of 217 countries and areas — and 1.24 billion projected for 2050.

Population of China, 1960 to 2050: 667 million in 1960, peak 1.41 billion in 2021, 1.24 billion in 2050 (projection)
Population of China, 1960 to 2050: 667 million in 1960, peak 1.41 billion in 2021, 1.24 billion in 2050 (projection)
Population of China, 1960 to 2050: 667 million in 1960, peak 1.41 billion in 2021, 1.24 billion in 2050 (projection)

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Where it stands

In 2025 China has 1,406,585,000 people, which is 17.17% of the 8.19 billion counted across the 217 countries and areas on this site. That puts it 2nd by population, behind India and ahead of United States.

Since 1960

In 1960 the figure was 667,070,000. Since then the population has grown 2.11×, an average of 1.15% a year upward. It doubled at some point along the way — the year it first reached 1,334,140,000 was 2010.

The population peaked in 2021 at 1,412,360,000, and it has fallen 0.4% since. By 2050 the projected total is 1,242,643,456, 11.7% below the 2025 figure.

The ranking in 2050

In 2050 the projected rank is 2nd, the same place as today. Rankings move when other countries grow faster or slower, not only when China changes.

People and land

China covers 9,388,210 km² of land, so 2025 density is 150 people per km² — 78th most crowded of 216 places with an area figure. At that density a square 10 km on a side holds about 14,982 people.

The fertility rate was 1.01 births per woman in 2024, below the roughly 2.1 needed to keep a population steady without migration; life expectancy at birth was 78 years (2024); 15.4% of people were under 15 and 14.9% were 65 or older (2025); 66% of the population lived in cities. These shape the curve above: a young population keeps growing after fertility falls, an old one starts shrinking sooner.

Its nearest neighbours in the ranking are India just above, with 1.46 billion (1.04× as many), and United States just below, with 342 million (4.12× as many as the United States has).

How the numbers are taken. Total population from the World Bank's population estimates and projections (built from United Nations and national statistics). Values to 2025 are estimates; 2026–2050 are projections that continue current fertility, mortality and migration trends. Sources and limits.

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