Country comparison
China United States
How do China and United States compare on area, population, economy and living standards? Every figure below comes from open data, computed at build time.
China vs United States at a glance
- China's surface area is smaller: about 97% of United States's (9,562,910 km² vs 9,831,510 km²).
- China's population is larger: about 4.1× United States's (1.4B vs 341.8M).
- China's GDP (total) is smaller: about 63% of United States's ($19.5T vs $30.8T).
- China's GDP per capita is about 15% of United States's.
China vs United States 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 States — China's GDP per capita is about 15% of United States's.
| Metric | China | United States | A vs B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population & land | |||
| Population | 1.4B (2025) | 341.8M (2025) | 4.1× |
| Population growth | -0.2% (2025) | 0.5% (2025) | N/A |
| Urban population share | 66.3% (2025) | 80.2% (2025) | 83% |
| Population aged 65+ | 14.9% (2025) | 18.4% (2025) | 81% |
| Fertility rate | 1.0 (2024) | 1.6 (2024) | 62% |
| Birth rate | 6.8‰ (2024) | 10.6‰ (2024) | 64% |
| Death rate | 7.8‰ (2024) | 9.0‰ (2024) | 86% |
| Net migration | -268.1K (2025) | 1.2M (2025) | N/A |
| Surface area | 9,562,910 km² (2023) | 9,831,510 km² (2023) | 97% |
| Population densityderived | 147/km² (2025) | 34.8/km² (2025) | 4.2× |
| Economy | |||
| GDP (total) | $19.5T (2025) | $30.8T (2025) | 63% |
| GDP per capita | $13,862 (2025) | $90,027 (2025) | 15% |
| GNI per capita | $14,230 (2025) | $88,810 (2025) | 16% |
| GDP growth (annual) | 5.0% (2025) | 2.2% (2025) | 2.3× |
| Inflation rate | 0.1% (2025) | 2.9% (2024) | 2% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% (2025) | 4.2% (2025) | 1.1× |
| Gini index | 36.0 (2022) | 41.8 (2024) | 86% |
| Poverty rate ($2.15/day) | 0.0% (2022) | 1.1% (2024) | N/A |
| Trade & industry | |||
| Exports share of GDP | 21.1% (2025) | 11.0% (2024) | 1.9× |
| Imports share of GDP | 16.9% (2025) | 14.0% (2024) | 1.2× |
| Agriculture share of GDP | 6.7% (2025) | 0.9% (2021) | 7.1× |
| Manufacturing share of GDP | 24.7% (2025) | 10.5% (2021) | 2.4× |
| International tourist arrivals | 30.4M (2020) | 45M (2020) | 68% |
| Tourism receipts | $27.8B (2004) | $84.2B (2020) | 33% |
| Health & education | |||
| Life expectancy | 78.0 years (2024) | 78.9 years (2024) | 99% |
| Infant mortality | 4.1‰ (2024) | 5.5‰ (2024) | 75% |
| Under-five mortality | 5.7‰ (2024) | 6.5‰ (2024) | 88% |
| DPT immunization | 97.0% (2024) | 94.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
| Hospital beds | 5.6 per 1,000 (2023) | 2.7 per 1,000 (2022) | 2.1× |
| Health spending share of GDP | 5.9% (2023) | 16.7% (2023) | 36% |
| Secondary school enrollment | 92.3% (2012) | 97.5% (2022) | 95% |
| Education spending share of GDP | 3.9% (2023) | 5.4% (2021) | 72% |
| Society & living | |||
| Human Development Index | 0.797 (2023) | 0.938 (2023) | 85% |
| Internet users | 91.6% (2025) | 94.7% (2024) | 97% |
| Mobile subscriptions | 131.8 per 100 (2024) | 113.2 per 100 (2024) | 1.2× |
| Fixed broadband | 47.2 per 100 (2024) | 38.9 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) | 13.6 t (2024) | 68% |
| CO₂ emissions (total)derived | 13,125 Mt (2024) | 4,632 Mt (2024) | 2.8× |
| Renewable electricity share | 28.4% (2021) | 20.3% (2021) | 1.4× |
| Renewable energy consumption | 15.2% (2021) | 10.9% (2021) | 1.4× |
| Forest area | 24.0% (2023) | 33.9% (2023) | 71% |
| Agricultural land | 55.4% (2023) | 46.1% (2023) | 1.2× |
| Arable land | 11.5% (2023) | 16.6% (2023) | 70% |
| PM2.5 exposure | 32.0 µg/m³ (2023) | 7.0 µg/m³ (2023) | 4.6× |
| Military spending | 1.7% (2024) | 3.4% (2024) | 50% |
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 States
- Capital
- Washington D.C.
- Languages
- English
- Currencies
- USD
- Subregion
- North America
China vs United States in five metrics
Full metric comparison
| Metric | China | United States | A vs B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population & land | |||
| Population | 1.4B (2025) | 341.8M (2025) | 4.1× |
| Population growth | -0.2% (2025) | 0.5% (2025) | N/A |
| Urban population share | 66.3% (2025) | 80.2% (2025) | 83% |
| Population aged 65+ | 14.9% (2025) | 18.4% (2025) | 81% |
| Fertility rate | 1.0 (2024) | 1.6 (2024) | 62% |
| Birth rate | 6.8‰ (2024) | 10.6‰ (2024) | 64% |
| Death rate | 7.8‰ (2024) | 9.0‰ (2024) | 86% |
| Net migration | -268.1K (2025) | 1.2M (2025) | N/A |
| Surface area | 9,562,910 km² (2023) | 9,831,510 km² (2023) | 97% |
| Population density derived | 147/km² (2025) | 34.8/km² (2025) | 4.2× |
| Economy | |||
| GDP (total) | $19.5T (2025) | $30.8T (2025) | 63% |
| GDP per capita | $13,862 (2025) | $90,027 (2025) | 15% |
| GNI per capita | $14,230 (2025) | $88,810 (2025) | 16% |
| GDP growth (annual) | 5.0% (2025) | 2.2% (2025) | 2.3× |
| Inflation rate | 0.1% (2025) | 2.9% (2024) | 2% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% (2025) | 4.2% (2025) | 1.1× |
| Gini index | 36.0 (2022) | 41.8 (2024) | 86% |
| Poverty rate ($2.15/day) | 0.0% (2022) | 1.1% (2024) | N/A |
| Trade & industry | |||
| Exports share of GDP | 21.1% (2025) | 11.0% (2024) | 1.9× |
| Imports share of GDP | 16.9% (2025) | 14.0% (2024) | 1.2× |
| Agriculture share of GDP | 6.7% (2025) | 0.9% (2021) | 7.1× |
| Manufacturing share of GDP | 24.7% (2025) | 10.5% (2021) | 2.4× |
| International tourist arrivals | 30.4M (2020) | 45M (2020) | 68% |
| Tourism receipts | $27.8B (2004) | $84.2B (2020) | 33% |
| Health & education | |||
| Life expectancy | 78.0 years (2024) | 78.9 years (2024) | 99% |
| Infant mortality | 4.1‰ (2024) | 5.5‰ (2024) | 75% |
| Under-five mortality | 5.7‰ (2024) | 6.5‰ (2024) | 88% |
| DPT immunization | 97.0% (2024) | 94.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
| Hospital beds | 5.6 per 1,000 (2023) | 2.7 per 1,000 (2022) | 2.1× |
| Health spending share of GDP | 5.9% (2023) | 16.7% (2023) | 36% |
| Secondary school enrollment | 92.3% (2012) | 97.5% (2022) | 95% |
| Education spending share of GDP | 3.9% (2023) | 5.4% (2021) | 72% |
| Society & living | |||
| Human Development Index | 0.797 (2023) | 0.938 (2023) | 85% |
| Internet users | 91.6% (2025) | 94.7% (2024) | 97% |
| Mobile subscriptions | 131.8 per 100 (2024) | 113.2 per 100 (2024) | 1.2× |
| Fixed broadband | 47.2 per 100 (2024) | 38.9 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) | 13.6 t (2024) | 68% |
| CO₂ emissions (total) derived | 13,125 Mt (2024) | 4,632 Mt (2024) | 2.8× |
| Renewable electricity share | 28.4% (2021) | 20.3% (2021) | 1.4× |
| Renewable energy consumption | 15.2% (2021) | 10.9% (2021) | 1.4× |
| Forest area | 24.0% (2023) | 33.9% (2023) | 71% |
| Agricultural land | 55.4% (2023) | 46.1% (2023) | 1.2× |
| Arable land | 11.5% (2023) | 16.6% (2023) | 70% |
| PM2.5 exposure | 32.0 µg/m³ (2023) | 7.0 µg/m³ (2023) | 4.6× |
| Military spending | 1.7% (2024) | 3.4% (2024) | 50% |
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 States |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Beijing | Washington D.C. |
| Languages | Chinese | English |
| Currencies | CNY | USD |
| Subregion | Eastern Asia | North America |
Frequently asked questions
Which is bigger, China or United States?
China's surface area is smaller: about 97% of United States's (9,562,910 km² vs 9,831,510 km²).
Which has a larger population, China or United States?
China's population is larger: about 4.1× United States's (1.4B vs 341.8M).
Which economy is larger, China or United States?
China's GDP (total) is smaller: about 63% of United States's ($19.5T vs $30.8T).
Which has a higher GDP per capita, China or United States?
China's GDP per capita is smaller: about 15% of United States's ($13,862 vs $90,027).
Related tools and comparisons
Open the interactive compare tool with China and United States preselected
See China and United States's true size on a drag-and-drop map →
Distance between China and United States →
China country profile: key metrics vs world median →
United States country profile: key metrics vs world median →
More comparisons with China and United States
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).