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Population in China compared to India: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of China was 1,408,975,000 in 2024 vs 1,450,935,791 people in India in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current China's population is 1,402,578,808 people compared to 1,480,351,380 in India.

Population statistics:

  • India's population is 1.06 times bigger than China's.
  • China is ranked the 2nd most populous country in the world, while India is the 1st.
  • The countries together account for 34.8% of the world: 16.9% for China vs 17.9% for India.
  • For the last 10 years, China has had an average growth rate of +0.3% per year vs +1.03% in India.
  • Since 2006, the population of China has increased from 1.31B people to 1.4B (6.98% growth), while India has grown from 1.17B to 1.48B (26.2% growth).

China vs India: population by year and forecast

China
Factual

Projection
India
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
China India
2100 633,320,628 1,515,897,176
2099 643,959,697 1,523,583,618
2098 654,691,595 1,531,281,096
2097 665,517,335 1,538,914,978
2096 676,438,150 1,546,515,506
2095 687,457,915 1,554,100,337
2094 698,589,897 1,561,632,624
2093 709,852,629 1,569,112,481
2092 721,251,520 1,576,470,228
2091 732,791,748 1,583,793,450
2090 744,501,355 1,591,038,578
2089 756,404,299 1,598,165,996
2088 768,478,316 1,605,169,643
2087 780,707,622 1,612,023,916
2086 793,081,006 1,618,795,931
2085 805,608,315 1,625,424,591
2084 818,268,277 1,631,854,605
2083 830,972,107 1,638,132,423
2082 843,721,746 1,644,206,476
2081 856,534,631 1,650,106,942
2080 869,351,919 1,655,799,569
2079 882,146,959 1,661,261,962
2078 894,889,246 1,666,477,951
2077 907,592,919 1,671,444,317
2076 920,280,380 1,676,151,275
2075 932,956,157 1,680,606,119
2074 945,631,173 1,684,743,082
2073 958,352,980 1,688,579,113
2072 971,115,895 1,692,138,648
2071 983,938,054 1,695,351,098
2070 996,853,418 1,698,255,829
2069 1,009,905,851 1,700,813,392
2068 1,023,081,790 1,703,025,450
2067 1,036,420,010 1,704,872,725
2066 1,049,887,382 1,706,347,017
2065 1,063,477,623 1,707,540,131
2064 1,077,206,695 1,708,362,011
2063 1,090,982,303 1,708,845,280
2062 1,104,833,556 1,709,011,618
2061 1,118,682,849 1,708,866,368
2060 1,132,504,136 1,708,344,645
2059 1,146,199,736 1,707,488,768
2058 1,159,714,746 1,706,314,224
2057 1,172,963,523 1,704,805,210
2056 1,185,938,083 1,703,013,988
2055 1,198,550,408 1,700,890,479
2054 1,210,749,681 1,698,473,703
2053 1,222,500,569 1,695,661,388
2052 1,233,808,926 1,692,531,993
2051 1,244,584,333 1,689,057,795
2050 1,254,824,040 1,685,236,057
2049 1,264,598,914 1,681,083,344
2048 1,273,885,471 1,676,576,931
2047 1,282,701,271 1,671,678,054
2046 1,291,133,690 1,666,371,707
2045 1,299,154,327 1,660,667,112
2044 1,306,805,350 1,654,556,840
2043 1,314,176,710 1,648,067,988
2042 1,321,319,298 1,641,136,901
2041 1,328,219,755 1,633,771,970
2040 1,334,857,481 1,625,990,392
2039 1,341,265,381 1,617,818,911
2038 1,347,407,165 1,609,238,166
2037 1,353,377,505 1,600,212,760
2036 1,359,133,287 1,590,731,970
2035 1,364,651,508 1,580,864,963
2034 1,369,940,557 1,570,629,033
2033 1,375,003,005 1,560,043,145
2032 1,379,784,204 1,549,098,676
2031 1,384,301,522 1,537,810,507
2030 1,388,520,533 1,526,192,552
2029 1,392,490,007 1,514,274,850
2028 1,396,163,778 1,502,102,657
2027 1,399,515,824 1,489,628,314
2026 1,402,578,808 1,476,911,618
2025 1,405,826,385 1,463,993,377
2024 1,408,975,000 1,450,935,791
2023 1,410,710,000 1,438,069,596
2022 1,412,175,000 1,425,423,212
2021 1,412,360,000 1,414,203,896
2020 1,411,100,000 1,402,617,695
2019 1,407,745,000 1,389,030,312
2018 1,402,760,000 1,374,659,064
2017 1,396,215,000 1,359,657,400
2016 1,387,790,000 1,343,944,296
2015 1,379,860,000 1,328,024,498
2014 1,371,860,000 1,312,277,191
2013 1,363,240,000 1,295,829,511
2012 1,354,190,000 1,278,674,502
2011 1,345,035,000 1,261,224,954
2010 1,337,705,000 1,243,481,564
2009 1,331,260,000 1,225,524,753
2008 1,324,655,000 1,207,930,964
2007 1,317,885,000 1,190,676,021
2006 1,311,020,000 1,172,878,890
2005 1,303,720,000 1,154,676,322
2004 1,296,075,000 1,135,991,513
2003 1,288,400,000 1,116,803,006
2002 1,280,400,000 1,097,600,380
2001 1,271,850,000 1,077,898,575
2000 1,262,645,000 1,057,922,733
1999 1,252,735,000 1,038,225,823
1998 1,241,935,000 1,018,665,080
1997 1,230,075,000 999,133,762
1996 1,217,550,000 979,678,458
1995 1,204,855,000 960,301,044
1994 1,191,835,000 941,163,767
1993 1,178,440,000 922,118,387
1992 1,164,970,000 902,957,070
1991 1,150,780,000 883,927,600
1990 1,135,185,000 864,972,221
1989 1,118,650,000 846,039,529
1988 1,101,630,000 827,342,990
1987 1,084,035,000 808,931,270
1986 1,066,790,000 790,689,978
1985 1,051,040,000 772,647,793
1984 1,036,825,000 754,875,449
1983 1,023,310,000 737,372,681
1982 1,008,630,000 720,313,473
1981 993,885,000 703,696,250
1980 981,235,000 687,354,025
1979 969,005,000 671,155,747
1978 956,165,000 655,728,229
1977 943,455,000 640,801,103
1976 930,685,000 625,861,883
1975 916,395,000 611,309,535
1974 900,350,000 597,041,391
1973 881,940,000 583,465,598
1972 862,030,000 570,482,142
1971 841,105,000 558,096,387
1970 818,315,000 545,864,268
1969 796,025,000 533,880,544
1968 774,510,000 522,716,889
1967 754,550,000 511,606,372
1966 735,400,000 500,740,247
1965 715,185,000 490,140,146
1964 698,355,000 479,229,598
1963 682,335,000 468,138,575
1962 665,770,000 457,283,090
1961 660,330,000 446,564,729
1960 667,070,000 435,990,338

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/china/india | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of China increased by 76,770,000 people (a 5.86% growth), while India gained 171,065,406 people (a 14.6% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, China gained 14,788,808 people (a 1.07% growth), while India's population increased by 136,407,084 people (a 10.1% growth).

China was ranked 1st most populous country in 2006 and is 2nd in 2026. India was ranked 2nd in 2006 and ranked 1st now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) China's population will shrink by 10.5% to 1,254,824,040 people and will still be ranked 2nd. The population of India will increase by 13.8% to 1,685,236,057 people and will still be ranked 1st.

India is projected to reach its peak in 2062 at 1.71B people, while China's population already peaked in 2021 at 1.41B people and is projected to decrease to 633M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

China
Factual

Projection
India
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
China India
2100 -1.65% -0.5%
2099 -1.64% -0.5%
2098 -1.63% -0.5%
2097 -1.61% -0.49%
2096 -1.6% -0.49%
2095 -1.59% -0.48%
2094 -1.59% -0.48%
2093 -1.58% -0.47%
2092 -1.57% -0.46%
2091 -1.57% -0.46%
2090 -1.57% -0.45%
2089 -1.57% -0.44%
2088 -1.57% -0.43%
2087 -1.56% -0.42%
2086 -1.56% -0.41%
2085 -1.55% -0.39%
2084 -1.53% -0.38%
2083 -1.51% -0.37%
2082 -1.5% -0.36%
2081 -1.47% -0.34%
2080 -1.45% -0.33%
2079 -1.42% -0.31%
2078 -1.4% -0.3%
2077 -1.38% -0.28%
2076 -1.36% -0.27%
2075 -1.34% -0.25%
2074 -1.33% -0.23%
2073 -1.31% -0.21%
2072 -1.3% -0.19%
2071 -1.3% -0.17%
2070 -1.29% -0.15%
2069 -1.29% -0.13%
2068 -1.29% -0.11%
2067 -1.28% -0.09%
2066 -1.28% -0.07%
2065 -1.27% -0.05%
2064 -1.26% -0.03%
2063 -1.25% -0.01%
2062 -1.24% 0.008%
2061 -1.22% 0.03%
2060 -1.19% 0.05%
2059 -1.17% 0.07%
2058 -1.13% 0.09%
2057 -1.09% 0.11%
2056 -1.05% 0.12%
2055 -1.01% 0.14%
2054 -0.96% 0.17%
2053 -0.92% 0.18%
2052 -0.87% 0.21%
2051 -0.82% 0.23%
2050 -0.77% 0.25%
2049 -0.73% 0.27%
2048 -0.69% 0.29%
2047 -0.65% 0.32%
2046 -0.62% 0.34%
2045 -0.59% 0.37%
2044 -0.56% 0.39%
2043 -0.54% 0.42%
2042 -0.52% 0.45%
2041 -0.5% 0.48%
2040 -0.48% 0.51%
2039 -0.46% 0.53%
2038 -0.44% 0.56%
2037 -0.42% 0.6%
2036 -0.4% 0.62%
2035 -0.39% 0.65%
2034 -0.37% 0.68%
2033 -0.35% 0.71%
2032 -0.33% 0.73%
2031 -0.3% 0.76%
2030 -0.29% 0.79%
2029 -0.26% 0.81%
2028 -0.24% 0.84%
2027 -0.22% 0.86%
2026 -0.23% 0.88%
2025 -0.22% 0.9%
2024 -0.12% 0.89%
2023 -0.1% 0.89%
2022 -0.01% 0.79%
2021 0.09% 0.83%
2020 0.24% 0.98%
2019 0.36% 1.05%
2018 0.47% 1.1%
2017 0.61% 1.17%
2016 0.57% 1.2%
2015 0.58% 1.2%
2014 0.63% 1.27%
2013 0.67% 1.34%
2012 0.68% 1.38%
2011 0.55% 1.43%
2010 0.48% 1.47%
2009 0.5% 1.46%
2008 0.51% 1.45%
2007 0.52% 1.52%
2006 0.56% 1.58%
2005 0.59% 1.64%
2004 0.6% 1.72%
2003 0.62% 1.75%
2002 0.67% 1.83%
2001 0.73% 1.89%
2000 0.79% 1.9%
1999 0.87% 1.92%
1998 0.96% 1.95%
1997 1.03% 1.99%
1996 1.05% 2.02%
1995 1.09% 2.03%
1994 1.14% 2.07%
1993 1.16% 2.12%
1992 1.23% 2.15%
1991 1.37% 2.19%
1990 1.48% 2.24%
1989 1.54% 2.26%
1988 1.62% 2.28%
1987 1.62% 2.31%
1986 1.5% 2.34%
1985 1.37% 2.35%
1984 1.32% 2.37%
1983 1.46% 2.37%
1982 1.48% 2.36%
1981 1.29% 2.38%
1980 1.26% 2.41%
1979 1.34% 2.35%
1978 1.35% 2.33%
1977 1.37% 2.39%
1976 1.56% 2.38%
1975 1.78% 2.39%
1974 2.09% 2.33%
1973 2.31% 2.28%
1972 2.49% 2.22%
1971 2.78% 2.24%
1970 2.8% 2.24%
1969 2.78% 2.14%
1968 2.65% 2.17%
1967 2.6% 2.17%
1966 2.83% 2.16%
1965 2.41% 2.28%
1964 2.35% 2.37%
1963 2.49% 2.37%
1962 0.82% 2.4%
1961 -1.01% 2.43%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/china/india | CC BY

In 2024, the population of China declined by 0.12%, while India's population grew by 0.89%.

Live population counters

China India
Current population
1402578808
1480351380
Population rank 2/197 1/197
Percent of world population 16.9% 17.9%
One net population change
18.2 seconds
2.45 seconds
One birth every
3.5 seconds
1.36 seconds
One death every
2.84 seconds
3.32 seconds
Daily growth/decline -4,753 +35,250
Annual growth/decline -1,735,000 +12,866,195
Annual growth/decline rate -0.12% +0.89%
Population growth rate rank 173/197 107/197
One migration net change every
1.97 minutes
1.06 minutes
Annual migration change -268,126 -495,753
Net migration rank 189/196 195/196
Foreign-born residents 1,638,718 4,796,255
Foreign-born residents rank 43/195 15/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.1% 0.3%
Foreign-born share rank 192/195 181/195

Natural population change vs migration

China
Natural

Migration
India
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
China India
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -268,126 - -495,753
2024 - -318,992 - -630,830
2023 -2,087,851 -567,724 13,711,993 -979,179
2022 -847,305 -293,846 13,912,130 -1,353,478
2021 480,203 -379,749 10,227,523 -348,916
2020 2,046,095 -91,577 13,366,946 -73,806
2019 4,673,713 -656,091 14,859,846 -978,969
2018 5,302,433 -198,206 15,451,168 -589,794
2017 7,790,880 -94,625 15,394,041 -251,642
2016 9,062,269 -153,056 16,202,593 81,248
2015 6,788,911 -646,941 16,211,195 -655,085
2014 9,205,180 -371,108 16,165,943 -227,263
2013 8,043,116 -188,951 17,107,541 -151,372
2012 10,075,174 -58,864 17,552,365 -198,935
2011 8,245,065 -416,189 17,793,362 -247,017
2010 6,407,607 -184,144 17,991,935 -50,905
2009 6,483,236 -177,135 18,286,055 -312,905
2008 6,729,247 -764,370 18,234,926 -1,020,047
2007 6,813,465 -1,042,019 18,331,648 -1,037,200
2006 6,922,185 -759,559 18,641,737 -342,177
2005 7,678,911 -103,701 19,034,839 -929,454
2004 7,607,960 -770,977 19,469,758 -206,660
2003 7,743,284 -613,223 19,720,507 -606,970
2002 8,258,580 -761,291 20,024,621 -732,419
2001 8,839,358 -176,419 20,182,573 -70,346
2000 9,570,849 -62,622 19,984,160 -143,960
1999 10,247,372 -96,102 19,648,424 -95,320
1998 11,351,286 -40,472 19,569,575 -1,049
1997 12,374,554 -279,251 19,494,098 880
1996 12,686,872 -250,750 19,442,699 -26,388
1995 12,711,220 -365,986 19,396,161 -57,297
1994 13,360,470 -723,641 19,310,798 -375,253
1993 13,493,138 -373,316 19,152,399 2,364
1992 13,548,601 -142,985 19,132,757 35,155
1991 14,937,124 -544,650 19,049,524 -157,911
1990 16,335,313 -11,187 18,893,588 125,514
1989 16,824,495 -313,476 18,848,915 -2,907
1988 17,328,640 -282,194 18,702,916 -155,676
1987 18,005,821 -169,170 18,496,213 -219,150
1986 16,609,920 -79,190 18,455,495 -249,545
1985 14,987,830 -60,929 17,968,697 -89,991
1984 13,561,671 -51,961 17,698,810 -32,313
1983 13,599,789 -43,756 17,219,127 119,694
1982 15,815,318 -36,181 16,790,507 -10,687
1981 14,461,027 -28,016 16,422,159 33,243
1980 11,647,260 -20,129 16,018,786 210,914
1979 11,250,148 -13,704 15,392,957 774,094
1978 11,473,980 -9,916 14,898,145 -210,444
1977 11,378,068 -15,323 14,575,662 590,626
1976 11,782,472 -55,109 14,435,504 275,984
1975 14,378,237 -115,173 13,958,642 434,205
1974 15,738,118 -175,239 13,795,836 347,869
1973 18,423,727 -214,997 13,412,707 -404,743
1972 19,102,585 -215,650 13,041,792 -82,816
1971 19,622,980 -180,153 12,787,104 -974,574
1970 21,137,076 -126,510 12,417,866 233,782
1969 20,760,332 -72,836 12,167,671 -851,844
1968 21,206,083 -37,290 12,006,807 -995,416
1967 19,263,662 1,246,654 11,279,897 -70,314
1966 19,282,187 4,165 11,089,894 -566,982
1965 20,296,950 -130,900 10,925,714 -248,299
1964 19,302,532 -1,250,441 11,285,378 -141,916
1963 22,742,225 -31,383 11,016,705 21,640
1962 17,969,132 -31,305 10,743,409 -70,514
1961 2,496,047 -25,578 10,468,816 295,177
1960 -3,048,510 -16,927 10,237,489 146,955

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/china/india | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 92.5% of the population change in China is from natural causes (a gain of 42,414,528 people) and 7.53% is from migration (a loss of 3,452,923 people). In India 96.4% is from natural causes (a gain of 145,503,378 people) and 3.56% is from migration (a loss of 5,376,884 people).

As of 2024, 1,638,718 residents or 0.1% of the population were not native-born in China, compared to 4,796,255 people or 0.3% in India.

Biggest cities by population

China
City Population
Chongqing 32.1M
Shanghai 24.9M
Beijing 21.9M
Chengdu 20.9M
Guangzhou 18.7M
Shenzhen 17.5M
Tianjin 13.9M
Xi'an 13M
Suzhou 12.7M
Zhengzhou 12.6M
India
City Population
Delhi 26.5M
Mumbai 15.4M
Bangalore 12.3M
Hyderabad 9.3M
Ahmedabad 7.64M
Chennai 6.6M
Pune 5.94M
Surat 5.94M
Kolkata 4.5M
Lucknow 3.38M

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/china/india | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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