Population in the largest city in China
China: Population in the largest city was 2.32 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Population in the largest city in China, 1950–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in China is 2.32, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in China peaked at 2.32 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.751, in 1980.
China ranks 179th of 179 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.8823 | — |
| 1955 | 0.9599 | +8.8% |
| 1960 | 1.01 | +4.8% |
| 1965 | 0.9151 | -9.0% |
| 1970 | 0.7936 | -13.3% |
| 1975 | 0.7557 | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 0.751 | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 0.7698 | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 0.8554 | +11.1% |
| 1995 | 1.08 | +25.9% |
| 2000 | 1.83 | +70.1% |
| 2005 | 2.07 | +12.9% |
| 2010 | 2.16 | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 2.17 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 2.32 | +6.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.32 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 25.9, 9% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- China's 2.32 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28.2, 8% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population in the largest city in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +70.1% | 1.08 | 1.83 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.9211 | 0.8823 | 0.9599 | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.9604 | 0.9151 | 1.01 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.7746 | 0.7557 | 0.7936 | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.7604 | 0.751 | 0.7698 | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.9664 | 0.8554 | 1.08 | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.95 | 1.83 | 2.07 | 2 |
| 2010s | 2.17 | 2.16 | 2.17 | 2 |
| 2020s | 2.32 | 2.32 | 2.32 | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More population data for China
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1671 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.68 (2100)
- Population density 67.46 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 15.54 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in China?
- Population in the largest city in China was 2.32 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2.32 in 2020.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.751 in 1980.
- How does China rank for population in the largest city?
- China ranks 179th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).