Total population (thousands) in China
China: Total population (thousands) was 1.42 million thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.42 million thousands
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
2nd
of 233 countries
All-time high
1.43 million thousands
in 2021
All-time low
812,550 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in China, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
China recorded 1.42 million thousands for total population in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in China peaked at 1.43 million thousands in 2021 and was at its lowest, 812,550 thousands, in 1970.
China ranks 2nd of 233 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in China, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 812,550 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 834,068 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 854,072 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 873,284 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 891,870 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 908,745 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 923,489 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 937,256 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 949,837 thousands | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 962,486 thousands | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 976,090 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 990,237 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 1.01 million thousands | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 1.02 million thousands | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 1.04 million thousands | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 1.05 million thousands | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 1.07 million thousands | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 1.09 million thousands | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 1.11 million thousands | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 1.12 million thousands | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 1.14 million thousands | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 1.16 million thousands | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 1.18 million thousands | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 1.19 million thousands | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 1.20 million thousands | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 1.21 million thousands | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 1.23 million thousands | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 1.24 million thousands | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 1.25 million thousands | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 1.26 million thousands | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 1.26 million thousands | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 1.27 million thousands | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 1.28 million thousands | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 1.29 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 1.30 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 1.31 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 1.31 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 1.32 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 1.33 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 1.34 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 1.35 million thousands | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 1.36 million thousands | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 1.36 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 1.37 million thousands | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 1.38 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.39 million thousands | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 1.40 million thousands | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 1.41 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 1.42 million thousands | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 1.42 million thousands | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 1.43 million thousands | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 1.43 million thousands | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1.43 million thousands | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.42 million thousands | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 1.42 million thousands | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 1.42 million thousands | -0.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.42 million thousands is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6,843 thousands, 207.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 1.42 million thousands is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,410 thousands, 1005.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 894,766 thousands | 812,550 thousands | 962,486 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.05 million thousands | 976,090 thousands | 1.12 million thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.21 million thousands | 1.14 million thousands | 1.26 million thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.30 million thousands | 1.26 million thousands | 1.34 million thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.39 million thousands | 1.35 million thousands | 1.42 million thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.42 million thousands | 1.42 million thousands | 1.43 million thousands | 6 |
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)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in China?
- Total population in China was 1.42 million thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.43 million thousands in 2021.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 812,550 thousands in 1970.
- How does China rank for total population?
- China ranks 2nd out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release