Country comparison

China Spain

How do China and Spain compare on area, population, economy and living standards? Every figure below comes from open data, computed at build time.

China vs Spain at a glance

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ChinaSpain — China's GDP per capita is about 36% of Spain's.

Side-by-side metric comparison
MetricChinaSpainA vs B
Population & land
Population1.4B (2025)49.4M (2025)28×
Population growth-0.2% (2025)1.0% (2025)N/A
Urban population share66.3% (2025)80.5% (2025)82%
Population aged 65+14.9% (2025)21.6% (2025)69%
Fertility rate1.0 (2024)1.1 (2024)92%
Birth rate6.8‰ (2024)6.5‰ (2024)1.0×
Death rate7.8‰ (2024)8.9‰ (2024)87%
Net migration-268.1K (2025)96.6K (2025)N/A
Surface area9,441,999 km²501,633 km²19×
Population densityderived149/km² (2025)98.4/km² (2025)1.5×
Economy
GDP (total)$19.5T (2025)$1.9T (2025)10×
GDP per capita$13,862 (2025)$38,627 (2025)36%
GNI per capita$14,230 (2025)$37,120 (2025)38%
GDP growth (annual)5.0% (2025)2.8% (2025)1.8×
Inflation rate0.1% (2025)2.7% (2025)2%
Unemployment rate4.6% (2025)10.4% (2025)44%
Gini index36.0 (2022)33.4 (2023)1.1×
Poverty rate ($2.15/day)0.0% (2022)0.8% (2023)N/A
Trade & industry
Exports share of GDP21.1% (2025)36.6% (2025)58%
Imports share of GDP16.9% (2025)32.8% (2025)51%
Agriculture share of GDP6.7% (2025)2.7% (2025)2.5×
Manufacturing share of GDP24.7% (2025)10.6% (2025)2.3×
International tourist arrivals30.4M (2020)36.4M (2020)83%
Tourism receipts$27.8B (2004)$31.6B (1998)88%
Health & education
Life expectancy78.0 years (2024)83.9 years (2024)93%
Infant mortality4.1‰ (2024)2.6‰ (2024)1.6×
Under-five mortality5.7‰ (2024)3.2‰ (2024)1.8×
DPT immunization97.0% (2024)94.0% (2024)1.0×
Hospital beds5.6 per 1,000 (2023)2.9 per 1,000 (2023)1.9×
Health spending share of GDP5.9% (2023)9.2% (2023)64%
Secondary school enrollment92.3% (2012)118.5% (2024)78%
Education spending share of GDP3.9% (2023)4.6% (2022)85%
Society & living
Human Development Index0.797 (2023)0.918 (2023)87%
Internet users91.6% (2025)95.8% (2024)96%
Mobile subscriptions131.8 per 100 (2024)130.3 per 100 (2024)1.0×
Fixed broadband47.2 per 100 (2024)39.2 per 100 (2024)1.2×
Electricity access100.0% (2024)100.0% (2024)1.0×
Environment & security
CO₂ emissions per capita9.3 t (2024)4.5 t (2024)2.1×
CO₂ emissions (total)derived13,125 Mt (2024)220 Mt (2024)60×
Renewable electricity share28.4% (2021)47.0% (2021)60%
Renewable energy consumption15.2% (2021)19.0% (2021)80%
Forest area24.0% (2023)37.2% (2023)65%
Agricultural land55.4% (2023)49.6% (2023)1.1×
Arable land11.5% (2023)23.0% (2023)50%
PM2.5 exposure32.0 µg/m³ (2023)10.1 µg/m³ (2023)3.2×
Military spending1.7% (2024)1.4% (2024)1.2×

Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the equal-area surface area computed from Natural Earth boundaries — the same area basis as the true-size tool.

China

Capital
Beijing
Languages
Chinese
Currencies
CNY
Subregion
Eastern Asia

Spain

Capital
Madrid
Languages
Spanish
Currencies
EUR
Subregion
Southern Europe

China vs Spain in five metrics

Horizontal bar chart comparing China and Spain on area, population, GDP, GDP per capita and life expectancy; the longer bar is the larger value within each metric. China Spain Surface area 9,441,999 km² 501,633 km² Population (2025) 1.4B 49.4M GDP (total) (2025) $19.5T $1.9T GDP per capita (2025) $13,862 $38,627 Life expectancy (2024) 78.0 years 83.9 years

Full metric comparison

Side-by-side metric comparison
Metric China Spain A vs B
Population & land
Population 1.4B (2025) 49.4M (2025) 28×
Population growth -0.2% (2025) 1.0% (2025) N/A
Urban population share 66.3% (2025) 80.5% (2025) 82%
Population aged 65+ 14.9% (2025) 21.6% (2025) 69%
Fertility rate 1.0 (2024) 1.1 (2024) 92%
Birth rate 6.8‰ (2024) 6.5‰ (2024) 1.0×
Death rate 7.8‰ (2024) 8.9‰ (2024) 87%
Net migration -268.1K (2025) 96.6K (2025) N/A
Surface area 9,441,999 km² 501,633 km² 19×
Population density derived 149/km² (2025) 98.4/km² (2025) 1.5×
Economy
GDP (total) $19.5T (2025) $1.9T (2025) 10×
GDP per capita $13,862 (2025) $38,627 (2025) 36%
GNI per capita $14,230 (2025) $37,120 (2025) 38%
GDP growth (annual) 5.0% (2025) 2.8% (2025) 1.8×
Inflation rate 0.1% (2025) 2.7% (2025) 2%
Unemployment rate 4.6% (2025) 10.4% (2025) 44%
Gini index 36.0 (2022) 33.4 (2023) 1.1×
Poverty rate ($2.15/day) 0.0% (2022) 0.8% (2023) N/A
Trade & industry
Exports share of GDP 21.1% (2025) 36.6% (2025) 58%
Imports share of GDP 16.9% (2025) 32.8% (2025) 51%
Agriculture share of GDP 6.7% (2025) 2.7% (2025) 2.5×
Manufacturing share of GDP 24.7% (2025) 10.6% (2025) 2.3×
International tourist arrivals 30.4M (2020) 36.4M (2020) 83%
Tourism receipts $27.8B (2004) $31.6B (1998) 88%
Health & education
Life expectancy 78.0 years (2024) 83.9 years (2024) 93%
Infant mortality 4.1‰ (2024) 2.6‰ (2024) 1.6×
Under-five mortality 5.7‰ (2024) 3.2‰ (2024) 1.8×
DPT immunization 97.0% (2024) 94.0% (2024) 1.0×
Hospital beds 5.6 per 1,000 (2023) 2.9 per 1,000 (2023) 1.9×
Health spending share of GDP 5.9% (2023) 9.2% (2023) 64%
Secondary school enrollment 92.3% (2012) 118.5% (2024) 78%
Education spending share of GDP 3.9% (2023) 4.6% (2022) 85%
Society & living
Human Development Index 0.797 (2023) 0.918 (2023) 87%
Internet users 91.6% (2025) 95.8% (2024) 96%
Mobile subscriptions 131.8 per 100 (2024) 130.3 per 100 (2024) 1.0×
Fixed broadband 47.2 per 100 (2024) 39.2 per 100 (2024) 1.2×
Electricity access 100.0% (2024) 100.0% (2024) 1.0×
Environment & security
CO₂ emissions per capita 9.3 t (2024) 4.5 t (2024) 2.1×
CO₂ emissions (total) derived 13,125 Mt (2024) 220 Mt (2024) 60×
Renewable electricity share 28.4% (2021) 47.0% (2021) 60%
Renewable energy consumption 15.2% (2021) 19.0% (2021) 80%
Forest area 24.0% (2023) 37.2% (2023) 65%
Agricultural land 55.4% (2023) 49.6% (2023) 1.1×
Arable land 11.5% (2023) 23.0% (2023) 50%
PM2.5 exposure 32.0 µg/m³ (2023) 10.1 µg/m³ (2023) 3.2×
Military spending 1.7% (2024) 1.4% (2024) 1.2×

Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the equal-area surface area computed from Natural Earth boundaries — the same area basis as the true-size tool.

Reference facts

Metric China Spain
Capital Beijing Madrid
Languages Chinese Spanish
Currencies CNY EUR
Subregion Eastern Asia Southern Europe

Frequently asked questions

Which is bigger, China or Spain?

China's surface area is larger: about 19× Spain's (9,441,999 km² vs 501,633 km²).

Which has a larger population, China or Spain?

China's population is larger: about 28× Spain's (1.4B vs 49.4M).

Which economy is larger, China or Spain?

China's GDP (total) is larger: about 10× Spain's ($19.5T vs $1.9T).

Open the interactive compare tool with China and Spain preselected

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Distance between China and Spain →

China country profile: key metrics vs world median →

Spain country profile: key metrics vs world median →

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Data & method

Indicators: World Bank Open Data, 43 indicators — CC BY 4.0 © World Bank — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; Human Development Index — CC BY 3.0 IGO © United Nations Development Programme — https://hdr.undp.org/terms-use

Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:110m (public domain); surface areas are computed with an equal-area spherical formula (Chamberlin–Duquette).

Reference facts (capital, languages, currencies, subregion): mledoze/countries (ODbL).