COUNTRY POPULATION DATA

China population

Population statistics, historical records, charts, annual changes and source-backed reference information for China.

About China

China is presented in WhereFacts as a country population profile. This page combines the latest approved population value with the complete annual series currently available in the database.

China had a population of 1,406,585,000 in 2025, according to the latest available source data. The latest annual change was -0.17%.

Population in 2025

The population of China in 2025 is 1,406,585,000. Compared with the previous year, the population decreased by 2,390,000 people. Across the latest five-year period the change was -0.32%, while the ten-year change was +1.94%.

Historical population

The available annual series covers 1960–2025. Over the full period, China recorded an overall population change of +110.86%.

196019922025China population 1960–2025

Population trend over the last 10 years

This view isolates the most recent decade of approved records so short-term movement can be read separately from the full historical series.

201520202025China population — recent trend

Annual population change

The charts below show the numeric population change and the annual percentage rate. Both are calculated directly from consecutive values in the same approved series.

Change in people

1961: -6,740,0001962: 5,440,0001963: 16,565,0001964: 16,020,0001965: 16,830,0001966: 20,215,0001967: 19,150,0001968: 19,960,0001969: 21,515,0001970: 22,290,0001971: 22,790,0001972: 20,925,0001973: 19,910,0001974: 18,410,0001975: 16,045,0001976: 14,290,0001977: 12,770,0001978: 12,710,0001979: 12,840,0001980: 12,230,0001981: 12,650,0001982: 14,745,0001983: 14,680,0001984: 13,515,0001985: 14,215,0001986: 15,750,0001987: 17,245,0001988: 17,595,0001989: 17,020,0001990: 16,535,0001991: 15,595,0001992: 14,190,0001993: 13,470,0001994: 13,395,0001995: 13,020,0001996: 12,695,0001997: 12,525,0001998: 11,860,0001999: 10,800,0002000: 9,910,0002001: 9,205,0002002: 8,550,0002003: 8,000,0002004: 7,675,0002005: 7,645,0002006: 7,300,0002007: 6,865,0002008: 6,770,0002009: 6,605,0002010: 6,445,0002011: 7,330,0002012: 9,155,0002013: 9,050,0002014: 8,620,0002015: 8,000,0002016: 7,930,0002017: 8,425,0002018: 6,545,0002019: 4,985,0002020: 3,355,0002021: 1,260,0002022: -185,0002023: -1,465,0002024: -1,735,0002025: -2,390,000China annual population change19602025

Annual percentage change

196119932025China annual population change rate

Population summary

MeasurePeriod / yearValue
Latest year20251,406,585,000
1-year change2024–2025-0.17%
5-year change2020–2025-0.32%
10-year change2015–2025+1.94%
Series change1960–2025+110.86%
Highest recorded20211,412,360,000
Lowest recorded1961660,330,000

Population by year

The table contains every approved annual record currently available for China. Each year links to its own historical population page.

YearPopulationNumeric changeChange %
20251,406,585,000-2,390,000-0.17%
20241,408,975,000-1,735,000-0.12%
20231,410,710,000-1,465,000-0.10%
20221,412,175,000-185,000-0.01%
20211,412,360,000+1,260,000+0.09%
20201,411,100,000+3,355,000+0.24%
20191,407,745,000+4,985,000+0.36%
20181,402,760,000+6,545,000+0.47%
20171,396,215,000+8,425,000+0.61%
20161,387,790,000+7,930,000+0.57%
20151,379,860,000+8,000,000+0.58%
20141,371,860,000+8,620,000+0.63%
20131,363,240,000+9,050,000+0.67%
20121,354,190,000+9,155,000+0.68%
20111,345,035,000+7,330,000+0.55%
20101,337,705,000+6,445,000+0.48%
20091,331,260,000+6,605,000+0.50%
20081,324,655,000+6,770,000+0.51%
20071,317,885,000+6,865,000+0.52%
20061,311,020,000+7,300,000+0.56%
20051,303,720,000+7,645,000+0.59%
20041,296,075,000+7,675,000+0.60%
20031,288,400,000+8,000,000+0.62%
20021,280,400,000+8,550,000+0.67%
20011,271,850,000+9,205,000+0.73%
20001,262,645,000+9,910,000+0.79%
19991,252,735,000+10,800,000+0.87%
19981,241,935,000+11,860,000+0.96%
19971,230,075,000+12,525,000+1.03%
19961,217,550,000+12,695,000+1.05%
19951,204,855,000+13,020,000+1.09%
19941,191,835,000+13,395,000+1.14%
19931,178,440,000+13,470,000+1.16%
19921,164,970,000+14,190,000+1.23%
19911,150,780,000+15,595,000+1.37%
19901,135,185,000+16,535,000+1.48%
19891,118,650,000+17,020,000+1.54%
19881,101,630,000+17,595,000+1.62%
19871,084,035,000+17,245,000+1.62%
19861,066,790,000+15,750,000+1.50%
19851,051,040,000+14,215,000+1.37%
19841,036,825,000+13,515,000+1.32%
19831,023,310,000+14,680,000+1.46%
19821,008,630,000+14,745,000+1.48%
1981993,885,000+12,650,000+1.29%
1980981,235,000+12,230,000+1.26%
1979969,005,000+12,840,000+1.34%
1978956,165,000+12,710,000+1.35%
1977943,455,000+12,770,000+1.37%
1976930,685,000+14,290,000+1.56%
1975916,395,000+16,045,000+1.78%
1974900,350,000+18,410,000+2.09%
1973881,940,000+19,910,000+2.31%
1972862,030,000+20,925,000+2.49%
1971841,105,000+22,790,000+2.78%
1970818,315,000+22,290,000+2.80%
1969796,025,000+21,515,000+2.78%
1968774,510,000+19,960,000+2.65%
1967754,550,000+19,150,000+2.60%
1966735,400,000+20,215,000+2.83%
1965715,185,000+16,830,000+2.41%
1964698,355,000+16,020,000+2.35%
1963682,335,000+16,565,000+2.49%
1962665,770,000+5,440,000+0.82%
1961660,330,000-6,740,000-1.01%
1960667,070,000——

Population analysis

China population in 2025

The latest population shown for China is 1,406,585,000. Compared with the previous year, the population decreased by +0.17%.

Population change over 10 years

Across the most recent ten-year period, China recorded a upward population movement of +1.94%, based only on the annual population series.

Historical high and low

The highest value in this series is 1,412,360,000 in 2021. The lowest is 660,330,000 in 1961.

world population ranking

China is currently listed at #2 in the available world population ranking. Rankings are recalculated when approved source data is updated.

POPULATION QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of China in 2025?

The population of China is 1,406,585,000 in the latest 2025 record shown on this page.

Is the population of China increasing or decreasing?

The latest annual series indicates that the population is decreasing, with a year-over-year change of -0.17%.

What was the population of China 10 years ago?

Ten years before the latest record, the population was 1,379,860,000.

Where does China rank by population?

China is listed at #2 in the available world population ranking.

Sources and data notes

Population data source: World Bank Open Data. Reference year: 2025. Reuse information: CC BY 4.0 with World Bank dataset terms.

WhereFacts keeps descriptive geographic facts separate from population calculations. Population charts, tables, changes and analyses on this page are derived from the same approved annual series to keep figures internally consistent.

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