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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of China was 1,408,975,000 in 2024 vs 2,857,822 people in Qatar in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current China's population is 1,402,578,808 people compared to 2,999,260 in Qatar.

Population statistics:

  • China's population is 468 times bigger than Qatar's.
  • China is ranked the 2nd most populous country in the world, while Qatar is the 136th.
  • The countries together account for 17% of the world: 16.9% for China vs 0.04% for Qatar.
  • For the last 10 years, China has had an average growth rate of +0.3% per year vs +3.86% in Qatar.
  • Since 2006, the population of China has increased from 1.31B people to 1.4B (6.98% growth), while Qatar has grown from 973K to 3M (208.3% growth).

China vs Qatar: population by year and forecast

China
Factual

Projection
Qatar
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
China Qatar
2100 633,320,628 6,864,512
2099 643,959,697 6,795,697
2098 654,691,595 6,726,889
2097 665,517,335 6,658,115
2096 676,438,150 6,589,399
2095 687,457,915 6,520,903
2094 698,589,897 6,452,670
2093 709,852,629 6,384,792
2092 721,251,520 6,317,235
2091 732,791,748 6,249,912
2090 744,501,355 6,182,993
2089 756,404,299 6,116,439
2088 768,478,316 6,050,282
2087 780,707,622 5,984,646
2086 793,081,006 5,919,506
2085 805,608,315 5,854,810
2084 818,268,277 5,790,733
2083 830,972,107 5,727,107
2082 843,721,746 5,663,726
2081 856,534,631 5,600,872
2080 869,351,919 5,538,952
2079 882,146,959 5,477,309
2078 894,889,246 5,416,092
2077 907,592,919 5,355,430
2076 920,280,380 5,295,298
2075 932,956,157 5,235,611
2074 945,631,173 5,176,349
2073 958,352,980 5,117,758
2072 971,115,895 5,059,696
2071 983,938,054 5,002,249
2070 996,853,418 4,945,273
2069 1,009,905,851 4,888,911
2068 1,023,081,790 4,833,090
2067 1,036,420,010 4,777,814
2066 1,049,887,382 4,723,056
2065 1,063,477,623 4,668,810
2064 1,077,206,695 4,614,957
2063 1,090,982,303 4,561,622
2062 1,104,833,556 4,509,442
2061 1,118,682,849 4,457,910
2060 1,132,504,136 4,406,963
2059 1,146,199,736 4,356,604
2058 1,159,714,746 4,306,842
2057 1,172,963,523 4,257,533
2056 1,185,938,083 4,208,980
2055 1,198,550,408 4,160,635
2054 1,210,749,681 4,113,078
2053 1,222,500,569 4,065,870
2052 1,233,808,926 4,019,393
2051 1,244,584,333 3,973,445
2050 1,254,824,040 3,927,949
2049 1,264,598,914 3,882,963
2048 1,273,885,471 3,838,380
2047 1,282,701,271 3,794,282
2046 1,291,133,690 3,750,671
2045 1,299,154,327 3,707,573
2044 1,306,805,350 3,665,008
2043 1,314,176,710 3,623,031
2042 1,321,319,298 3,581,673
2041 1,328,219,755 3,540,989
2040 1,334,857,481 3,500,991
2039 1,341,265,381 3,461,758
2038 1,347,407,165 3,423,310
2037 1,353,377,505 3,385,696
2036 1,359,133,287 3,348,948
2035 1,364,651,508 3,313,100
2034 1,369,940,557 3,278,067
2033 1,375,003,005 3,243,892
2032 1,379,784,204 3,210,644
2031 1,384,301,522 3,178,257
2030 1,388,520,533 3,146,733
2029 1,392,490,007 3,112,748
2028 1,396,163,778 3,075,676
2027 1,399,515,824 3,035,492
2026 1,402,578,808 2,985,826
2025 1,405,826,385 2,926,071
2024 1,408,975,000 2,857,822
2023 1,410,710,000 2,656,032
2022 1,412,175,000 2,657,333
2021 1,412,360,000 2,504,910
2020 1,411,100,000 2,794,148
2019 1,407,745,000 2,638,657
2018 1,402,760,000 2,580,734
2017 1,396,215,000 2,545,820
2016 1,387,790,000 2,477,113
2015 1,379,860,000 2,344,557
2014 1,371,860,000 2,151,745
2013 1,363,240,000 1,916,426
2012 1,354,190,000 1,722,438
2011 1,345,035,000 1,624,761
2010 1,337,705,000 1,616,832
2009 1,331,260,000 1,608,903
2008 1,324,655,000 1,426,938
2007 1,317,885,000 1,208,595
2006 1,311,020,000 972,831
2005 1,303,720,000 825,408
2004 1,296,075,000 773,332
2003 1,288,400,000 744,682
2002 1,280,400,000 711,205
2001 1,271,850,000 677,925
2000 1,262,645,000 644,989
1999 1,252,735,000 612,500
1998 1,241,935,000 580,540
1997 1,230,075,000 550,500
1996 1,217,550,000 529,019
1995 1,204,855,000 514,325
1994 1,191,835,000 499,459
1993 1,178,440,000 484,545
1992 1,164,970,000 469,657
1991 1,150,780,000 454,853
1990 1,135,185,000 440,175
1989 1,118,650,000 425,646
1988 1,101,630,000 411,264
1987 1,084,035,000 397,005
1986 1,066,790,000 382,422
1985 1,051,040,000 365,940
1984 1,036,825,000 347,878
1983 1,023,310,000 329,709
1982 1,008,630,000 311,537
1981 993,885,000 293,553
1980 981,235,000 275,913
1979 969,005,000 258,670
1978 956,165,000 241,808
1977 943,455,000 225,285
1976 930,685,000 209,052
1975 916,395,000 193,087
1974 900,350,000 177,362
1973 881,940,000 161,841
1972 862,030,000 146,506
1971 841,105,000 131,346
1970 818,315,000 116,350
1969 796,025,000 103,025
1968 774,510,000 91,749
1967 754,550,000 81,439
1966 735,400,000 72,192
1965 715,185,000 64,065
1964 698,355,000 56,867
1963 682,335,000 50,380
1962 665,770,000 44,630
1961 660,330,000 39,680
1960 667,070,000 36,010

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/qatar | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of China increased by 76,770,000 people (a 5.86% growth), while Qatar gained 1,504,282 people (a 154.6% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, China gained 14,788,808 people (a 1.07% growth), while Qatar's population increased by 522,147 people (a 21.1% growth).

China was ranked 1st most populous country in 2006 and is 2nd in 2026. Qatar was ranked 156th in 2006 and ranked 136th 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 Qatar will increase by 31% to 3,927,949 people and rank change from 136th to 134th.

Qatar is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 6.86M 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
Qatar
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
China Qatar
2100 -1.65% 1.01%
2099 -1.64% 1.02%
2098 -1.63% 1.03%
2097 -1.61% 1.04%
2096 -1.6% 1.05%
2095 -1.59% 1.06%
2094 -1.59% 1.06%
2093 -1.58% 1.07%
2092 -1.57% 1.08%
2091 -1.57% 1.08%
2090 -1.57% 1.09%
2089 -1.57% 1.09%
2088 -1.57% 1.1%
2087 -1.56% 1.1%
2086 -1.56% 1.11%
2085 -1.55% 1.11%
2084 -1.53% 1.11%
2083 -1.51% 1.12%
2082 -1.5% 1.12%
2081 -1.47% 1.12%
2080 -1.45% 1.13%
2079 -1.42% 1.13%
2078 -1.4% 1.13%
2077 -1.38% 1.14%
2076 -1.36% 1.14%
2075 -1.34% 1.14%
2074 -1.33% 1.14%
2073 -1.31% 1.15%
2072 -1.3% 1.15%
2071 -1.3% 1.15%
2070 -1.29% 1.15%
2069 -1.29% 1.15%
2068 -1.29% 1.16%
2067 -1.28% 1.16%
2066 -1.28% 1.16%
2065 -1.27% 1.17%
2064 -1.26% 1.17%
2063 -1.25% 1.16%
2062 -1.24% 1.16%
2061 -1.22% 1.16%
2060 -1.19% 1.16%
2059 -1.17% 1.16%
2058 -1.13% 1.16%
2057 -1.09% 1.15%
2056 -1.05% 1.16%
2055 -1.01% 1.16%
2054 -0.96% 1.16%
2053 -0.92% 1.16%
2052 -0.87% 1.16%
2051 -0.82% 1.16%
2050 -0.77% 1.16%
2049 -0.73% 1.16%
2048 -0.69% 1.16%
2047 -0.65% 1.16%
2046 -0.62% 1.16%
2045 -0.59% 1.16%
2044 -0.56% 1.16%
2043 -0.54% 1.15%
2042 -0.52% 1.15%
2041 -0.5% 1.14%
2040 -0.48% 1.13%
2039 -0.46% 1.12%
2038 -0.44% 1.11%
2037 -0.42% 1.1%
2036 -0.4% 1.08%
2035 -0.39% 1.07%
2034 -0.37% 1.05%
2033 -0.35% 1.04%
2032 -0.33% 1.02%
2031 -0.3% 1%
2030 -0.29% 1.09%
2029 -0.26% 1.21%
2028 -0.24% 1.32%
2027 -0.22% 1.66%
2026 -0.23% 2.04%
2025 -0.22% 2.39%
2024 -0.12% 7.6%
2023 -0.1% -0.05%
2022 -0.01% 6.08%
2021 0.09% -10.4%
2020 0.24% 5.89%
2019 0.36% 2.24%
2018 0.47% 1.37%
2017 0.61% 2.77%
2016 0.57% 5.65%
2015 0.58% 8.96%
2014 0.63% 12.3%
2013 0.67% 11.3%
2012 0.68% 6.01%
2011 0.55% 0.49%
2010 0.48% 0.49%
2009 0.5% 12.8%
2008 0.51% 18.1%
2007 0.52% 24.2%
2006 0.56% 17.9%
2005 0.59% 6.73%
2004 0.6% 3.85%
2003 0.62% 4.71%
2002 0.67% 4.91%
2001 0.73% 5.11%
2000 0.79% 5.3%
1999 0.87% 5.51%
1998 0.96% 5.46%
1997 1.03% 4.06%
1996 1.05% 2.86%
1995 1.09% 2.98%
1994 1.14% 3.08%
1993 1.16% 3.17%
1992 1.23% 3.25%
1991 1.37% 3.33%
1990 1.48% 3.41%
1989 1.54% 3.5%
1988 1.62% 3.59%
1987 1.62% 3.81%
1986 1.5% 4.5%
1985 1.37% 5.19%
1984 1.32% 5.51%
1983 1.46% 5.83%
1982 1.48% 6.13%
1981 1.29% 6.39%
1980 1.26% 6.67%
1979 1.34% 6.97%
1978 1.35% 7.33%
1977 1.37% 7.77%
1976 1.56% 8.27%
1975 1.78% 8.87%
1974 2.09% 9.59%
1973 2.31% 10.5%
1972 2.49% 11.5%
1971 2.78% 12.9%
1970 2.8% 12.9%
1969 2.78% 12.3%
1968 2.65% 12.7%
1967 2.6% 12.8%
1966 2.83% 12.7%
1965 2.41% 12.7%
1964 2.35% 12.9%
1963 2.49% 12.9%
1962 0.82% 12.5%
1961 -1.01% 10.2%

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/qatar | CC BY

In 2024, the population of China declined by 0.12%, while Qatar's population grew by 7.6%.

Live population counters

China Qatar
Current population
1402578808
2999260
Population rank 2/197 136/197
Percent of world population 16.9% 0.04%
One net population change
18.2 seconds
2.6 minutes
One birth every
3.5 seconds
20 minutes
One death every
2.84 seconds
3.55 hours
Daily growth/decline -4,753 +553
Annual growth/decline -1,735,000 +201,790
Annual growth/decline rate -0.12% +7.6%
Population growth rate rank 173/197 1/197
One migration net change every
1.97 minutes
14.5 minutes
Annual migration change -268,126 +36,288
Net migration rank 189/196 26/196
Foreign-born residents 1,638,718 2,337,000
Foreign-born residents rank 43/195 31/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.1% 76.7%
Foreign-born share rank 192/195 1/195

Natural population change vs migration

China
Natural

Migration
Qatar
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
China Qatar
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -268,126 - 36,288
2024 - -318,992 - 46,105
2023 -2,087,851 -567,724 23,845 39,995
2022 -847,305 -293,846 24,360 80,004
2021 480,203 -379,749 21,297 24,501
2020 2,046,095 -91,577 25,128 -50,433
2019 4,673,713 -656,091 24,112 10,557
2018 5,302,433 -198,206 23,340 12,465
2017 7,790,880 -94,625 23,244 46,719
2016 9,062,269 -153,056 22,416 119,725
2015 6,788,911 -646,941 22,568 177,467
2014 9,205,180 -371,108 21,699 194,712
2013 8,043,116 -188,951 19,669 133,520
2012 10,075,174 -58,864 17,681 77,091
2011 8,245,065 -416,189 16,543 77,228
2010 6,407,607 -184,144 16,225 90,620
2009 6,483,236 -177,135 15,595 123,217
2008 6,729,247 -764,370 14,062 165,572
2007 6,813,465 -1,042,019 11,351 245,703
2006 6,922,185 -759,559 10,225 204,236
2005 7,678,911 -103,701 11,392 68,993
2004 7,607,960 -770,977 11,242 12,531
2003 7,743,284 -613,223 11,291 22,234
2002 8,258,580 -761,291 11,062 22,356
2001 8,839,358 -176,419 10,683 22,456
2000 9,570,849 -62,622 9,974 22,769
1999 10,247,372 -96,102 9,431 22,815
1998 11,351,286 -40,472 9,055 22,618
1997 12,374,554 -279,251 8,846 19,547
1996 12,686,872 -250,750 9,049 5,517
1995 12,711,220 -365,986 9,186 5,634
1994 13,360,470 -723,641 9,257 5,660
1993 13,493,138 -373,316 9,250 5,670
1992 13,548,601 -142,985 9,189 5,670
1991 14,937,124 -544,650 9,182 5,562
1990 16,335,313 -11,187 9,388 5,216
1989 16,824,495 -313,476 9,407 5,045
1988 17,328,640 -282,194 9,198 5,118
1987 18,005,821 -169,170 8,806 5,405
1986 16,609,920 -79,190 8,439 6,512
1985 14,987,830 -60,929 8,212 9,797
1984 13,561,671 -51,961 7,997 10,113
1983 13,599,789 -43,756 7,765 10,462
1982 15,815,318 -36,181 7,489 10,634
1981 14,461,027 -28,016 7,202 10,644
1980 11,647,260 -20,129 6,894 10,540
1979 11,250,148 -13,704 6,579 10,466
1978 11,473,980 -9,916 6,246 10,434
1977 11,378,068 -15,323 5,925 10,445
1976 11,782,472 -55,109 5,598 10,494
1975 14,378,237 -115,173 5,289 10,549
1974 15,738,118 -175,239 5,015 10,603
1973 18,423,727 -214,997 4,780 10,641
1972 19,102,585 -215,650 4,581 10,663
1971 19,622,980 -180,153 4,433 10,644
1970 21,137,076 -126,510 4,346 10,579
1969 20,760,332 -72,836 3,941 7,790
1968 21,206,083 -37,290 3,547 7,266
1967 19,263,662 1,246,654 3,167 6,637
1966 19,282,187 4,165 2,811 5,880
1965 20,296,950 -130,900 2,472 5,083
1964 19,302,532 -1,250,441 2,150 4,686
1963 22,742,225 -31,383 1,854 4,283
1962 17,969,132 -31,305 1,589 3,773
1961 2,496,047 -25,578 1,357 3,186
1960 -3,048,510 -16,927 1,220 1,586

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

GeoRank.org/population/china/qatar | 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 Qatar 26.1% is from natural causes (a gain of 232,009 people) and 73.9% is from migration (a gain of 655,712 people).

As of 2024, 1,638,718 residents or 0.1% of the population were not native-born in China, compared to 2,337,000 people or 76.7% in Qatar.

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
Qatar
City Population
Doha 1.19M
Al Khor 31.5K

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/qatar | 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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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