Country comparison
China United Kingdom
How do China and United Kingdom compare on area, population, economy and living standards? Every figure below comes from open data, computed at build time.
China vs United Kingdom at a glance
- China's surface area is larger: about 39× United Kingdom's (9,562,910 km² vs 243,610 km²).
- China's population is larger: about 20× United Kingdom's (1.4B vs 69.5M).
- China's GDP (total) is larger: about 4.9× United Kingdom's ($19.5T vs $4T).
- China's GDP per capita is about 24% of United Kingdom's.
China vs United Kingdom in the world: GDP per capita
GDP per capita log axis
Every dot is one country with data — the two highlighted dots are these countries; the dashed line marks the world median. Wide-range metrics use a logarithmic axis (tagged).
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ChinaUnited Kingdom — China's GDP per capita is about 24% of United Kingdom's.
| Metric | China | United Kingdom | A vs B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population & land | |||
| Population | 1.4B (2025) | 69.5M (2025) | 20× |
| Population growth | -0.2% (2025) | 0.3% (2025) | N/A |
| Urban population share | 66.3% (2025) | 83.3% (2025) | 80% |
| Population aged 65+ | 14.9% (2025) | 19.7% (2025) | 76% |
| Fertility rate | 1.0 (2024) | 1.6 (2024) | 65% |
| Birth rate | 6.8‰ (2024) | 9.9‰ (2024) | 68% |
| Death rate | 7.8‰ (2024) | 9.7‰ (2024) | 80% |
| Net migration | -268.1K (2025) | 389.9K (2025) | N/A |
| Surface area | 9,562,910 km² (2023) | 243,610 km² (2023) | 39× |
| Population densityderived | 147/km² (2025) | 285/km² (2025) | 52% |
| Economy | |||
| GDP (total) | $19.5T (2025) | $4T (2025) | 4.9× |
| GDP per capita | $13,862 (2025) | $57,602 (2025) | 24% |
| GNI per capita | $14,230 (2025) | $54,550 (2025) | 26% |
| GDP growth (annual) | 5.0% (2025) | 1.4% (2025) | 3.6× |
| Inflation rate | 0.1% (2025) | 3.9% (2025) | 2% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% (2025) | 4.7% (2025) | 97% |
| Gini index | 36.0 (2022) | 32.4 (2021) | 1.1× |
| Poverty rate ($2.15/day) | 0.0% (2022) | 0.4% (2021) | N/A |
| Trade & industry | |||
| Exports share of GDP | 21.1% (2025) | 30.6% (2025) | 69% |
| Imports share of GDP | 16.9% (2025) | 31.9% (2025) | 53% |
| Agriculture share of GDP | 6.7% (2025) | 0.6% (2025) | 10× |
| Manufacturing share of GDP | 24.7% (2025) | 7.7% (2025) | 3.2× |
| International tourist arrivals | 30.4M (2020) | 11.1M (2020) | 2.7× |
| Tourism receipts | $27.8B (2004) | $31.7B (1998) | 88% |
| Health & education | |||
| Life expectancy | 78.0 years (2024) | 81.4 years (2024) | 96% |
| Infant mortality | 4.1‰ (2024) | 4.1‰ (2024) | 1.0× |
| Under-five mortality | 5.7‰ (2024) | 4.7‰ (2024) | 1.2× |
| DPT immunization | 97.0% (2024) | 92.0% (2024) | 1.1× |
| Hospital beds | 5.6 per 1,000 (2023) | 2.4 per 1,000 (2022) | 2.3× |
| Health spending share of GDP | 5.9% (2023) | 11.1% (2024) | 53% |
| Secondary school enrollment | 92.3% (2012) | 112.1% (2023) | 82% |
| Education spending share of GDP | 3.9% (2023) | 5.9% (2021) | 66% |
| Society & living | |||
| Human Development Index | 0.797 (2023) | 0.946 (2023) | 84% |
| Internet users | 91.6% (2025) | 95.5% (2024) | 96% |
| Mobile subscriptions | 131.8 per 100 (2024) | 121.6 per 100 (2024) | 1.1× |
| Fixed broadband | 47.2 per 100 (2024) | 42.2 per 100 (2024) | 1.1× |
| Electricity access | 100.0% (2024) | 100.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
| Environment & security | |||
| CO₂ emissions per capita | 9.3 t (2024) | 4.2 t (2024) | 2.2× |
| CO₂ emissions (total)derived | 13,125 Mt (2024) | 292 Mt (2024) | 45× |
| Renewable electricity share | 28.4% (2021) | 40.2% (2021) | 71% |
| Renewable energy consumption | 15.2% (2021) | 12.2% (2021) | 1.2× |
| Forest area | 24.0% (2023) | 13.3% (2023) | 1.8× |
| Agricultural land | 55.4% (2023) | 70.3% (2023) | 79% |
| Arable land | 11.5% (2023) | 25.0% (2023) | 46% |
| PM2.5 exposure | 32.0 µg/m³ (2023) | 9.5 µg/m³ (2023) | 3.4× |
| Military spending | 1.7% (2024) | 2.3% (2024) | 75% |
Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the displayed surface area (World Bank surface-area figures where available) — so it can differ from the World Bank's own land-area-based density.
China
- Capital
- Beijing
- Languages
- Chinese
- Currencies
- CNY
- Subregion
- Eastern Asia
United Kingdom
- Capital
- London
- Languages
- English
- Currencies
- GBP
- Subregion
- Northern Europe
China vs United Kingdom in five metrics
Full metric comparison
| Metric | China | United Kingdom | A vs B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population & land | |||
| Population | 1.4B (2025) | 69.5M (2025) | 20× |
| Population growth | -0.2% (2025) | 0.3% (2025) | N/A |
| Urban population share | 66.3% (2025) | 83.3% (2025) | 80% |
| Population aged 65+ | 14.9% (2025) | 19.7% (2025) | 76% |
| Fertility rate | 1.0 (2024) | 1.6 (2024) | 65% |
| Birth rate | 6.8‰ (2024) | 9.9‰ (2024) | 68% |
| Death rate | 7.8‰ (2024) | 9.7‰ (2024) | 80% |
| Net migration | -268.1K (2025) | 389.9K (2025) | N/A |
| Surface area | 9,562,910 km² (2023) | 243,610 km² (2023) | 39× |
| Population density derived | 147/km² (2025) | 285/km² (2025) | 52% |
| Economy | |||
| GDP (total) | $19.5T (2025) | $4T (2025) | 4.9× |
| GDP per capita | $13,862 (2025) | $57,602 (2025) | 24% |
| GNI per capita | $14,230 (2025) | $54,550 (2025) | 26% |
| GDP growth (annual) | 5.0% (2025) | 1.4% (2025) | 3.6× |
| Inflation rate | 0.1% (2025) | 3.9% (2025) | 2% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% (2025) | 4.7% (2025) | 97% |
| Gini index | 36.0 (2022) | 32.4 (2021) | 1.1× |
| Poverty rate ($2.15/day) | 0.0% (2022) | 0.4% (2021) | N/A |
| Trade & industry | |||
| Exports share of GDP | 21.1% (2025) | 30.6% (2025) | 69% |
| Imports share of GDP | 16.9% (2025) | 31.9% (2025) | 53% |
| Agriculture share of GDP | 6.7% (2025) | 0.6% (2025) | 10× |
| Manufacturing share of GDP | 24.7% (2025) | 7.7% (2025) | 3.2× |
| International tourist arrivals | 30.4M (2020) | 11.1M (2020) | 2.7× |
| Tourism receipts | $27.8B (2004) | $31.7B (1998) | 88% |
| Health & education | |||
| Life expectancy | 78.0 years (2024) | 81.4 years (2024) | 96% |
| Infant mortality | 4.1‰ (2024) | 4.1‰ (2024) | 1.0× |
| Under-five mortality | 5.7‰ (2024) | 4.7‰ (2024) | 1.2× |
| DPT immunization | 97.0% (2024) | 92.0% (2024) | 1.1× |
| Hospital beds | 5.6 per 1,000 (2023) | 2.4 per 1,000 (2022) | 2.3× |
| Health spending share of GDP | 5.9% (2023) | 11.1% (2024) | 53% |
| Secondary school enrollment | 92.3% (2012) | 112.1% (2023) | 82% |
| Education spending share of GDP | 3.9% (2023) | 5.9% (2021) | 66% |
| Society & living | |||
| Human Development Index | 0.797 (2023) | 0.946 (2023) | 84% |
| Internet users | 91.6% (2025) | 95.5% (2024) | 96% |
| Mobile subscriptions | 131.8 per 100 (2024) | 121.6 per 100 (2024) | 1.1× |
| Fixed broadband | 47.2 per 100 (2024) | 42.2 per 100 (2024) | 1.1× |
| Electricity access | 100.0% (2024) | 100.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
| Environment & security | |||
| CO₂ emissions per capita | 9.3 t (2024) | 4.2 t (2024) | 2.2× |
| CO₂ emissions (total) derived | 13,125 Mt (2024) | 292 Mt (2024) | 45× |
| Renewable electricity share | 28.4% (2021) | 40.2% (2021) | 71% |
| Renewable energy consumption | 15.2% (2021) | 12.2% (2021) | 1.2× |
| Forest area | 24.0% (2023) | 13.3% (2023) | 1.8× |
| Agricultural land | 55.4% (2023) | 70.3% (2023) | 79% |
| Arable land | 11.5% (2023) | 25.0% (2023) | 46% |
| PM2.5 exposure | 32.0 µg/m³ (2023) | 9.5 µg/m³ (2023) | 3.4× |
| Military spending | 1.7% (2024) | 2.3% (2024) | 75% |
Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the displayed surface area (World Bank surface-area figures where available) — so it can differ from the World Bank's own land-area-based density.
Reference facts
| Metric | China | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Beijing | London |
| Languages | Chinese | English |
| Currencies | CNY | GBP |
| Subregion | Eastern Asia | Northern Europe |
Frequently asked questions
Which is bigger, China or United Kingdom?
China's surface area is larger: about 39× United Kingdom's (9,562,910 km² vs 243,610 km²).
Which has a larger population, China or United Kingdom?
China's population is larger: about 20× United Kingdom's (1.4B vs 69.5M).
Which economy is larger, China or United Kingdom?
China's GDP (total) is larger: about 4.9× United Kingdom's ($19.5T vs $4T).
Which has a higher GDP per capita, China or United Kingdom?
China's GDP per capita is smaller: about 24% of United Kingdom's ($13,862 vs $57,602).
Related tools and comparisons
Open the interactive compare tool with China and United Kingdom preselected
See China and United Kingdom's true size on a drag-and-drop map →
Distance between China and United Kingdom →
China country profile: key metrics vs world median →
United Kingdom country profile: key metrics vs world median →
More comparisons with China and United Kingdom
Data & method
Indicators: World Bank Open Data, 43 indicators — CC BY 4.0 © World Bank — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; Surface area (sq. km) — 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 follow the World Bank AG.SRF.TOTL.K2 figures, with mledoze/countries (or a measured Natural Earth boundary, marked †) only where World Bank coverage is missing.
Reference facts (capital, languages, currencies, subregion): mledoze/countries (ODbL).