Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in China

China: Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP was 0.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.2%
Change on year
up 15.4%
World rank
169th
of 194 countries
All-time high
0.5%
in 1997
All-time low
0.0%
in 1998
Years of data
44
1982–2025

Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in China, 1982–2025

00.10.20.30.40.51982200320251982: 0.3 % of GDP1983: 0.234 % of GDP1984: 0.155 % of GDP1985: 0.087 % of GDP1986: 0.148 % of GDP1987: 0.083 % of GDP1988: 0.104 % of GDP1989: 0.054 % of GDP1990: 0.054 % of GDP1991: 0.101 % of GDP1992: 0.145 % of GDP1993: 0.141 % of GDP1994: 0.151 % of GDP1995: 0.047 % of GDP1996: 0.193 % of GDP1997: 0.474 % of GDP1998: 0.033 % of GDP1999: 0.048 % of GDP2000: 0.062 % of GDP2001: 0.089 % of GDP2002: 0.158 % of GDP2003: 0.275 % of GDP2004: 0.335 % of GDP2005: 0.144 % of GDP2006: 0.155 % of GDP2007: 0.19 % of GDP2008: 0.196 % of GDP2009: 0.177 % of GDP2010: 0.22 % of GDP2011: 0.216 % of GDP2012: 0.197 % of GDP2013: 0.183 % of GDP2014: 0.28 % of GDP2015: 0.293 % of GDP2016: 0.235 % of GDP2017: 0.229 % of GDP2018: 0.172 % of GDP2019: 0.098 % of GDP2020: 0.098 % of GDP2021: 0.094 % of GDP2022: 0.112 % of GDP2023: 0.124 % of GDP2024: 0.133 % of GDP2025: 0.154 % of GDP

Source: World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in China is 0.2%, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of up 15.4% on the previous year and down 47.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in China peaked at 0.5% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1998.

That places China 169th out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in China, year by year

Annual values for Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in China, 1982 to 2025.
Year % of GDP Change
1982 0.3%
1983 0.2% -21.9%
1984 0.2% -34.0%
1985 0.1% -43.5%
1986 0.1% +69.1%
1987 0.1% -43.6%
1988 0.1% +25.1%
1989 0.1% -48.0%
1990 0.1% -0.0%
1991 0.1% +87.1%
1992 0.1% +42.6%
1993 0.1% -2.2%
1994 0.2% +6.9%
1995 0.0% -68.6%
1996 0.2% +306.0%
1997 0.5% +146.3%
1998 0.0% -93.0%
1999 0.0% +44.8%
2000 0.1% +29.0%
2001 0.1% +44.0%
2002 0.2% +77.0%
2003 0.3% +73.9%
2004 0.3% +21.9%
2005 0.1% -57.0%
2006 0.2% +7.5%
2007 0.2% +22.5%
2008 0.2% +3.2%
2009 0.2% -9.3%
2010 0.2% +24.1%
2011 0.2% -1.9%
2012 0.2% -8.9%
2013 0.2% -7.2%
2014 0.3% +53.5%
2015 0.3% +4.7%
2016 0.2% -20.0%
2017 0.2% -2.5%
2018 0.2% -24.9%
2019 0.1% -43.0%
2020 0.1% +0.2%
2021 0.1% -4.1%
2022 0.1% +18.6%
2023 0.1% +10.9%
2024 0.1% +7.9%
2025 0.2% +15.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.1% 0.1% 0.3% 8
1990s 0.1% 0.0% 0.5% 10
2000s 0.2% 0.1% 0.3% 10
2010s 0.2% 0.1% 0.3% 10
2020s 0.1% 0.1% 0.2% 6

Countries ranked near China

  1. 166 Israel 0.2% compare
  2. 167 Uruguay 0.2% compare
  3. 168 New Zealand 0.2% compare
  4. 170 Cayman Islands 0.1% compare
  5. 171 Argentina 0.1% compare
  6. 172 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 0.1% compare

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More population data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in China?
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in China was 0.2% in 2025, according to World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 0.5% in 1997.
What is the lowest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1998.
How does China rank for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp?
China ranks 169th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
Is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 47.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in China. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/money-sent-or-brought-back-by-migrants-as-a-share-of-gdp/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP
Unit
% of GDP
Source
World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
194 places, 7,088 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Money sent or brought back by migrants refers to remittances a country has received in this year.