Historical population data in China
China: Historical population data was 1.42 billion Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.42 billion Persons
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
2nd
of 43 countries
All-time high
1.43 billion Persons
in 2021
All-time low
544.04 million Persons
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Historical population data in China, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
China recorded 1.42 billion Persons for historical population data in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical population data in China peaked at 1.43 billion Persons in 2021 and was at its lowest, 544.04 million Persons, in 1950.
China ranks 2nd of 43 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Historical population data in China, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 544.04 million Persons | — |
| 1951 | 553.76 million Persons | +1.8% |
| 1952 | 565.13 million Persons | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 577.56 million Persons | +2.2% |
| 1954 | 590.11 million Persons | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 603.55 million Persons | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 616.56 million Persons | +2.2% |
| 1957 | 630.36 million Persons | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 644.22 million Persons | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 652.71 million Persons | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 654.80 million Persons | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 655.77 million Persons | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 665.07 million Persons | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 684.55 million Persons | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 704.80 million Persons | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 723.42 million Persons | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 742.40 million Persons | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 761.03 million Persons | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 781.01 million Persons | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 802.14 million Persons | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 823.31 million Persons | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 844.07 million Persons | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 863.68 million Persons | +2.3% |
| 1973 | 882.58 million Persons | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 900.31 million Persons | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 916.12 million Persons | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 930.37 million Persons | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 943.55 million Persons | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 956.16 million Persons | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 969.29 million Persons | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 983.16 million Persons | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 997.72 million Persons | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 1.01 billion Persons | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 1.03 billion Persons | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 1.04 billion Persons | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 1.06 billion Persons | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 1.08 billion Persons | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 1.10 billion Persons | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 1.12 billion Persons | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 1.13 billion Persons | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 1.15 billion Persons | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 1.17 billion Persons | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 1.18 billion Persons | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 1.20 billion Persons | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 1.21 billion Persons | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 1.22 billion Persons | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 1.23 billion Persons | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 1.24 billion Persons | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 1.25 billion Persons | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 1.26 billion Persons | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 1.27 billion Persons | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 1.28 billion Persons | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 1.29 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 1.29 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 1.30 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 1.31 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 1.32 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 1.33 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 1.33 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 1.34 billion Persons | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 1.35 billion Persons | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 1.36 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 1.37 billion Persons | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 1.38 billion Persons | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 1.39 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.40 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.40 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 1.41 billion Persons | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 1.42 billion Persons | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 1.42 billion Persons | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 1.43 billion Persons | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 1.43 billion Persons | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.43 billion Persons | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 1.42 billion Persons | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 1.42 billion Persons | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 1.42 billion Persons | -0.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.42 billion Persons is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 133.37 million Persons, 10.6× the median. (7 countries reporting)
- China's 1.42 billion Persons is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 75.42 million Persons, 18.8× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 597.80 million Persons | 544.04 million Persons | 652.71 million Persons | 10 |
| 1960s | 717.50 million Persons | 654.80 million Persons | 802.14 million Persons | 10 |
| 1970s | 902.94 million Persons | 823.31 million Persons | 969.29 million Persons | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.05 billion Persons | 983.16 million Persons | 1.13 billion Persons | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.21 billion Persons | 1.15 billion Persons | 1.26 billion Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.31 billion Persons | 1.27 billion Persons | 1.34 billion Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.39 billion Persons | 1.35 billion Persons | 1.42 billion Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.42 billion Persons | 1.42 billion Persons | 1.43 billion Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 1 India 1.46 billion Persons compare
- 3 Türkiye 85.88 million Persons compare
- 3 OECD 1.41 billion Persons compare
- 4 Poland 37.40 million Persons compare
- 4 United States 341.79 million Persons compare
- 4 Croatia 3.88 million Persons compare
- 5 Netherlands 18.09 million Persons compare
- 5 Indonesia 284.44 million Persons compare
More population data for China
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is historical population data in China?
- Historical population data in China was 1.42 billion Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest historical population data recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.43 billion Persons in 2021.
- What is the lowest historical population data recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 544.04 million Persons in 1950.
- How does China rank for historical population data?
- China ranks 2nd out of 43 countries with data for 2025.
- Is historical population data rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Historical population data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This dataset presents annual population data from 1961 by sex and five year age groups as well as the share of children, youth, the elderly, old-age and total dependency ratios. The data is available for all member countries as well as for the EU27 and G20 countries, Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa and the World total. The data refer to mid-year estimates of the population. See country details in Historical population metadata.