At a glance
Twelve headline indicators, latest available year.
What changed in China
Statistically notable movements in the latest data.
- Record high2023MajorMedian age reached a record high of 39.1 years in 2023 (series since 1950).
- Record high2024MajorCO₂ per capita reached a record high of 8.66 t in 2024 (series since 1907).
- Record high2025MajorGDP per capita reached a record high of US$ 13,862 in 2025 (series since 1960).
- Record high2025MajorGDP reached a record high of US$ 19.5T in 2025 (series since 1960).
- Record high2025MajorExports reached a record high of US$ 4.1T in 2025 (series since 1960).
- Record high2024MajorGross debt / GDP reached a record high of 90.4 % in 2024 (series since 1995).
Countries similar to China
Nearest peers by standardised distance on the selected dimension.
Country DNA
Percentile rank among all countries on nine dimensions. Descriptive, not a score.
2025
Key facts
Computed from the data — no model-generated numbers.
The fertility rate fell from 1.63 births/woman in 2000 to 1.01 births/woman in 2024.
91.6 % of people used the internet in 2025, up from 34.3 % in 2010.
Unemployment of 4.6 % in 2025 is above the East Asia & Pacific median of 3.0 %.
Life expectancy gained 5.7 years since 2000, from 72.3 years to 78.0 years in 2024.
With a median age of 39.1 years, China ranks 53rd of 216 countries worldwide (2023).
China's population grew 11.4 % between 2000 and 2025, from 1.3B people to 1.4B people.
66.3 % of the population lived in urban areas in 2025, compared with 36.4 % in 2000.
GDP per capita rose from US$ 969 in 2000 to US$ 13,862 in 2025 (+1,330.2 % in current US dollars).
Trade is worth 38.0 % of GDP (2025), below the world median of 79.8 %.
Renewables' share of electricity generation rose from 18.7 % in 2010 to 37.0 % in 2025 (+18.4 points).
GDP grew 5.9 % a year on average over 2014–2025.
CO₂ emissions of 8.66 t per person are 2.9× the world median of 2.99 t (2024).
Within East Asia & Pacific, China ranks 11th of 32 for GDP per capita (PPP) (intl $ 29,333, 2025).
Life expectancy of 78.0 years ranks 11th of 37 in East Asia & Pacific (2024).
Borders: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macao, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Vietnam
Languages: Chinese
Timeline
Records, reversals and turning points across the whole history.
- 2025
- Sharp riseTrade balance rose US$ 267.5B to US$ 816.2B in 2025.
- Sharp riseSolar electricity share rose 2.8 points to 11.1 % in 2025.
- Sharp riseCurrent account balance (US$) rose US$ 272.7B to US$ 735.0B in 2025.
- Sharp riseWind electricity share rose 0.8 points to 10.7 % in 2025.
- Record lowReal house prices fell to a new low of 92.4 in 2025, the first since 2005.
- Sharp riseRenewable electricity rose 3.3 points to 37.0 % in 2025.
- 2024
- Sharp riseSolar electricity share rose 2.1 points to 8.3 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseTrade balance rose US$ 171.3B to US$ 548.7B in 2024.
- Sharp riseCurrent account balance (US$) rose US$ 205.3B to US$ 462.3B in 2024.
- Sharp dropParticipation fell 0.9 points to 64.9 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseImmunization, DPT (% of children ages 12–23 months) rose 1.0 points to 97.0 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseWind electricity share rose 0.5 points to 9.9 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseContribution to global warming from greenhouse gases rose 0.0060 °C to 0.2170 °C in 2024.
- Sharp riseObesity rose 0.5 points to 9.3 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropLabour force participation rate, female (ages 15+) fell 0.8 points to 59.4 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropEmployment to population ratio (ages 15+) fell 0.8 points to 61.9 % in 2024.
- Record highCurrent account balance (US$) set a new high of US$ 462.3B in 2024, the first since 2008.
- Sharp riseRenewable electricity rose 3.1 points to 33.7 % in 2024.
- 2023
- Sharp riseInternet users rose 15.0 points to 90.6 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropImmunization, DPT (% of children ages 12–23 months) fell 3.0 points to 96.0 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseSolar electricity share rose 1.3 points to 6.2 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseWomen in parliament rose 1.6 points to 26.5 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseAir transport, passengers carried rose 146.9 % to 619.2M passengers in 2023.
- Sharp riseEducation spending rose 2.0 points to 3.9 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropCurrent account balance (US$) fell US$ 147.1B to US$ 257.0B in 2023.
- Sharp dropTrade balance fell US$ 161.7B to US$ 377.4B in 2023.
- Sharp riseContribution to global warming from greenhouse gases rose 0.0070 °C to 0.2110 °C in 2023.
- Sharp riseOld-age dependency ratio rose 0.8 points to 20.7 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseWind electricity share rose 0.7 points to 9.4 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseDeath rate, crude rose 6.8 % to 7.9 per 1,000 in 2023.
Explore China by topic
19 topics · 261 indicators with data.
- Economy25 with data · 27 indicators
- Government & public finance12 with data · 18 indicators
- Population & demographics23 with data · 23 indicators
- Employment & wages12 with data · 19 indicators
- Income & inequality8 with data · 10 indicators
- Housing3 with data · 12 indicators
- Health21 with data · 23 indicators
- Education16 with data · 16 indicators
- Trade21 with data · 21 indicators
- Energy26 with data · 26 indicators
- Climate16 with data · 16 indicators
- Environment9 with data · 10 indicators
- Infrastructure & transportation10 with data · 10 indicators
- Digital economy & Internet6 with data · 6 indicators
- Innovation, research & technology9 with data · 9 indicators
- Agriculture & natural resources19 with data · 20 indicators
- Tourism5 with data · 5 indicators
- Security & governance8 with data · 15 indicators
- Quality of life12 with data · 14 indicators