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Population in China compared to South Korea: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of China was 1,406,585,000 in 2025 vs 51,684,564 people in South Korea in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current China's population is 1,403,335,670 people compared to 51,624,449 in South Korea.

Population statistics:

  • China's population is 27.2 times bigger than South Korea's.
  • China is ranked the 2nd most populous country in the world, while South Korea is the 31st.
  • The countries together account for 17.5% of the world: 16.9% for China vs 0.62% for South Korea.
  • For the last 10 years, China has had an average growth rate of +0.23% per year vs +0.17% in South Korea.
  • Since 2006, the population of China has increased from 1.31B people to 1.4B (7.04% growth), while South Korea has grown from 48.4M to 51.6M (6.58% growth).

China vs South Korea: population by year and forecast

China
Factual

Projection
South Korea
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
China South Korea
2100 633,662,382 22,001,649
2099 644,307,192 22,324,514
2098 655,044,881 22,657,541
2097 665,876,462 22,998,315
2096 676,803,171 23,348,632
2095 687,828,883 23,711,049
2094 698,966,872 24,081,510
2093 710,235,681 24,460,970
2092 721,640,723 24,848,715
2091 733,187,178 25,242,926
2090 744,903,105 25,642,926
2089 756,812,472 26,048,094
2088 768,893,004 26,457,020
2087 781,128,909 26,871,556
2086 793,508,970 27,288,450
2085 806,043,039 27,710,065
2084 818,709,832 28,133,600
2083 831,420,518 28,564,090
2082 844,177,036 28,998,646
2081 856,996,835 29,441,497
2080 869,821,040 29,887,135
2079 882,622,985 30,337,095
2078 895,372,147 30,793,984
2077 908,082,676 31,258,278
2076 920,776,984 31,728,826
2075 933,459,600 32,205,338
2074 946,141,456 32,689,892
2073 958,870,128 33,180,187
2072 971,639,931 33,679,874
2071 984,469,009 34,187,068
2070 997,391,342 34,702,204
2069 1,010,450,818 35,224,472
2068 1,023,633,867 35,745,164
2067 1,036,979,285 36,274,411
2066 1,050,453,924 36,808,495
2065 1,064,051,499 37,349,660
2064 1,077,787,979 37,897,742
2063 1,091,571,021 38,450,082
2062 1,105,429,748 39,009,227
2061 1,119,286,514 39,565,102
2060 1,133,115,260 40,130,032
2059 1,146,818,251 40,692,438
2058 1,160,340,554 41,256,780
2057 1,173,596,480 41,813,259
2056 1,186,578,041 42,356,530
2055 1,199,197,172 42,888,143
2054 1,211,403,028 43,405,840
2053 1,223,160,257 43,917,075
2052 1,234,474,716 44,419,192
2051 1,245,255,938 44,901,452
2050 1,255,501,171 45,362,931
2049 1,265,281,319 45,809,553
2048 1,274,572,888 46,235,718
2047 1,283,393,445 46,645,885
2046 1,291,830,414 47,033,200
2045 1,299,855,379 47,409,815
2044 1,307,510,531 47,773,842
2043 1,314,885,869 48,120,989
2042 1,322,032,311 48,455,085
2041 1,328,936,491 48,782,206
2040 1,335,577,799 49,091,438
2039 1,341,989,157 49,388,464
2038 1,348,134,255 49,669,835
2037 1,354,107,817 49,932,869
2036 1,359,866,705 50,175,947
2035 1,365,387,904 50,401,135
2034 1,370,679,807 50,607,994
2033 1,375,744,986 50,796,030
2032 1,380,528,766 50,961,878
2031 1,385,048,521 51,109,725
2030 1,389,269,809 51,242,628
2029 1,393,241,425 51,360,529
2028 1,396,917,178 51,461,403
2027 1,400,271,033 51,551,313
2026 1,403,335,670 51,624,449
2025 1,406,585,000 51,684,564
2024 1,408,975,000 51,751,065
2023 1,410,710,000 51,712,619
2022 1,412,175,000 51,672,569
2021 1,412,360,000 51,769,539
2020 1,411,100,000 51,836,239
2019 1,407,745,000 51,764,822
2018 1,402,760,000 51,585,058
2017 1,396,215,000 51,361,911
2016 1,387,790,000 51,217,803
2015 1,379,860,000 51,014,947
2014 1,371,860,000 50,746,659
2013 1,363,240,000 50,428,893
2012 1,354,190,000 50,199,853
2011 1,345,035,000 49,936,638
2010 1,337,705,000 49,554,112
2009 1,331,260,000 49,307,835
2008 1,324,655,000 49,054,708
2007 1,317,885,000 48,683,638
2006 1,311,020,000 48,438,292
2005 1,303,720,000 48,184,561
2004 1,296,075,000 48,082,519
2003 1,288,400,000 47,892,330
2002 1,280,400,000 47,644,736
2001 1,271,850,000 47,370,164
2000 1,262,645,000 47,008,111
1999 1,252,735,000 46,616,677
1998 1,241,935,000 46,286,503
1997 1,230,075,000 45,953,580
1996 1,217,550,000 45,524,681
1995 1,204,855,000 45,092,991
1994 1,191,835,000 44,641,540
1993 1,178,440,000 44,194,628
1992 1,164,970,000 43,747,962
1991 1,150,780,000 43,295,704
1990 1,135,185,000 42,869,283
1989 1,118,650,000 42,449,038
1988 1,101,630,000 42,031,247
1987 1,084,035,000 41,621,690
1986 1,066,790,000 41,213,674
1985 1,051,040,000 40,805,744
1984 1,036,825,000 40,405,956
1983 1,023,310,000 39,910,403
1982 1,008,630,000 39,326,352
1981 993,885,000 38,723,248
1980 981,235,000 38,123,775
1979 969,005,000 37,534,236
1978 956,165,000 36,969,185
1977 943,455,000 36,411,795
1976 930,685,000 35,848,523
1975 916,395,000 35,280,725
1974 900,350,000 34,692,266
1973 881,940,000 34,103,149
1972 862,030,000 33,505,406
1971 841,105,000 32,882,704
1970 818,315,000 32,240,827
1969 796,025,000 31,544,266
1968 774,510,000 30,838,302
1967 754,550,000 30,130,983
1966 735,400,000 29,435,571
1965 715,185,000 28,704,674
1964 698,355,000 27,984,155
1963 682,335,000 27,261,747
1962 665,770,000 26,513,030
1961 660,330,000 25,765,673
1960 667,070,000 25,012,374

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/china/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of China increased by 76,770,000 people (a 5.86% growth), while South Korea gained 2,779,511 people (a 5.74% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, China gained 15,545,670 people (a 1.12% growth), while South Korea's population increased by 406,646 people (a 0.79% growth).

China was ranked 1st most populous country in 2006 and is 2nd in 2026. South Korea was ranked 25th in 2006 and ranked 31st now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) China's population will shrink by 10.5% to 1,255,501,171 people and will still be ranked 2nd. The population of South Korea will decrease by 12.1% to 45,362,931 people and rank change from 31st to 48th.

Both countries are in a period of decline and in 50 years are projected to lose 34.4% of the population in China and 38.5% in South Korea.

Population growth rate by year

China
Factual

Projection
South Korea
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
China South Korea
2100 -1.65% -1.45%
2099 -1.64% -1.47%
2098 -1.63% -1.48%
2097 -1.61% -1.5%
2096 -1.6% -1.53%
2095 -1.59% -1.54%
2094 -1.59% -1.55%
2093 -1.58% -1.56%
2092 -1.57% -1.56%
2091 -1.57% -1.56%
2090 -1.57% -1.56%
2089 -1.57% -1.55%
2088 -1.57% -1.54%
2087 -1.56% -1.53%
2086 -1.56% -1.52%
2085 -1.55% -1.51%
2084 -1.53% -1.51%
2083 -1.51% -1.5%
2082 -1.5% -1.5%
2081 -1.47% -1.49%
2080 -1.45% -1.48%
2079 -1.42% -1.48%
2078 -1.4% -1.49%
2077 -1.38% -1.48%
2076 -1.36% -1.48%
2075 -1.34% -1.48%
2074 -1.33% -1.48%
2073 -1.31% -1.48%
2072 -1.3% -1.48%
2071 -1.3% -1.48%
2070 -1.29% -1.48%
2069 -1.29% -1.46%
2068 -1.29% -1.46%
2067 -1.28% -1.45%
2066 -1.28% -1.45%
2065 -1.27% -1.45%
2064 -1.26% -1.44%
2063 -1.25% -1.43%
2062 -1.24% -1.4%
2061 -1.22% -1.41%
2060 -1.19% -1.38%
2059 -1.17% -1.37%
2058 -1.13% -1.33%
2057 -1.09% -1.28%
2056 -1.05% -1.24%
2055 -1.01% -1.19%
2054 -0.96% -1.16%
2053 -0.92% -1.13%
2052 -0.87% -1.07%
2051 -0.82% -1.02%
2050 -0.77% -0.97%
2049 -0.73% -0.92%
2048 -0.69% -0.88%
2047 -0.65% -0.82%
2046 -0.62% -0.79%
2045 -0.59% -0.76%
2044 -0.56% -0.72%
2043 -0.54% -0.69%
2042 -0.52% -0.67%
2041 -0.5% -0.63%
2040 -0.48% -0.6%
2039 -0.46% -0.57%
2038 -0.44% -0.53%
2037 -0.42% -0.48%
2036 -0.4% -0.45%
2035 -0.39% -0.41%
2034 -0.37% -0.37%
2033 -0.35% -0.33%
2032 -0.33% -0.29%
2031 -0.3% -0.26%
2030 -0.29% -0.23%
2029 -0.26% -0.2%
2028 -0.24% -0.17%
2027 -0.22% -0.14%
2026 -0.23% -0.12%
2025 -0.17% -0.13%
2024 -0.12% 0.07%
2023 -0.1% 0.08%
2022 -0.01% -0.19%
2021 0.09% -0.13%
2020 0.24% 0.14%
2019 0.36% 0.35%
2018 0.47% 0.43%
2017 0.61% 0.28%
2016 0.57% 0.4%
2015 0.58% 0.53%
2014 0.63% 0.63%
2013 0.67% 0.46%
2012 0.68% 0.53%
2011 0.55% 0.77%
2010 0.48% 0.5%
2009 0.5% 0.52%
2008 0.51% 0.76%
2007 0.52% 0.51%
2006 0.56% 0.53%
2005 0.59% 0.21%
2004 0.6% 0.4%
2003 0.62% 0.52%
2002 0.67% 0.58%
2001 0.73% 0.77%
2000 0.79% 0.84%
1999 0.87% 0.71%
1998 0.96% 0.72%
1997 1.03% 0.94%
1996 1.05% 0.96%
1995 1.09% 1.01%
1994 1.14% 1.01%
1993 1.16% 1.02%
1992 1.23% 1.04%
1991 1.37% 0.99%
1990 1.48% 0.99%
1989 1.54% 0.99%
1988 1.62% 0.98%
1987 1.62% 0.99%
1986 1.5% 1%
1985 1.37% 0.99%
1984 1.32% 1.24%
1983 1.46% 1.49%
1982 1.48% 1.56%
1981 1.29% 1.57%
1980 1.26% 1.57%
1979 1.34% 1.53%
1978 1.35% 1.53%
1977 1.37% 1.57%
1976 1.56% 1.61%
1975 1.78% 1.7%
1974 2.09% 1.73%
1973 2.31% 1.78%
1972 2.49% 1.89%
1971 2.78% 1.99%
1970 2.8% 2.21%
1969 2.78% 2.29%
1968 2.65% 2.35%
1967 2.6% 2.36%
1966 2.83% 2.55%
1965 2.41% 2.57%
1964 2.35% 2.65%
1963 2.49% 2.82%
1962 0.82% 2.9%
1961 -1.01% 3.01%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/china/south-korea | CC BY

In 2025, the population of China declined by 0.17%, while South Korea's population declined by 0.13%.

Live population counters

China South Korea
Current population
1403335670
51624449
Population rank 2/197 31/197
Percent of world population 16.9% 0.62%
One net population change
13.2 seconds
7.93 minutes
One birth every
3.31 seconds
2.16 minutes
One death every
2.88 seconds
1.45 minutes
Daily growth/decline -6,548 -182
Annual growth/decline -2,390,000 -66,501
Annual growth/decline rate -0.17% -0.13%
Population growth rate rank 174/197 169/197
One migration net change every
1.97 minutes
8.02 minutes
Annual migration change -268,126 +65,731
Net migration rank 189/196 20/196
Foreign-born residents 1,638,718 1,811,507
Foreign-born residents rank 43/195 40/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.1% 3.5%
Foreign-born share rank 192/195 111/195

Natural population change vs migration

China
Natural

Migration
South Korea
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
China South Korea
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -268,126 - 65,731
2024 -1,394,886 -318,992 -119,027 75,963
2023 -2,087,851 -567,724 -124,111 87,800
2022 -847,305 -293,846 -124,014 87,800
2021 480,203 -379,749 -56,947 -16,778
2020 2,046,095 -91,577 -31,101 112,631
2019 4,673,713 -656,091 10,353 128,622
2018 5,302,433 -198,206 30,951 118,220
2017 7,790,880 -94,625 71,907 104,029
2016 9,062,269 -153,056 122,923 91,568
2015 6,788,911 -646,941 163,248 276,427
2014 9,205,180 -371,108 167,464 308,037
2013 8,043,116 -188,951 166,415 301,926
2012 10,075,174 -58,864 215,859 281,866
2011 8,245,065 -416,189 214,728 269,958
2010 6,407,607 -184,144 213,083 52,042
2009 6,483,236 -177,135 197,231 5,308
2008 6,729,247 -764,370 215,841 -19,630
2007 6,813,465 -1,042,019 248,286 -42,293
2006 6,922,185 -759,559 203,441 -28,434
2005 7,678,911 -103,701 187,920 -47,821
2004 7,607,960 -770,977 225,988 -42,549
2003 7,743,284 -613,223 244,251 -31,994
2002 8,258,580 -761,291 247,752 -18,105
2001 8,839,358 -176,419 312,643 -28,006
2000 9,570,849 -62,622 390,167 -84,960
1999 10,247,372 -96,102 368,272 -107,448
1998 11,351,286 -40,472 393,436 -98,044
1997 12,374,554 -279,251 422,773 -109,130
1996 12,686,872 -250,750 446,142 -115,705
1995 12,711,220 -365,986 468,967 -208,491
1994 13,360,470 -723,641 473,200 -208,309
1993 13,493,138 -373,316 477,302 -222,802
1992 13,548,601 -142,985 494,352 -265,849
1991 14,937,124 -544,650 467,594 -270,754
1990 16,335,313 -11,187 411,546 79,294
1989 16,824,495 -313,476 403,266 186,120
1988 17,328,640 -282,194 399,297 192,534
1987 18,005,821 -169,170 378,758 198,057
1986 16,609,920 -79,190 395,651 189,782
1985 14,987,830 -60,929 416,219 97,949
1984 13,561,671 -51,961 436,384 101,394
1983 13,599,789 -43,756 514,844 102,167
1982 15,815,318 -36,181 605,626 48,638
1981 14,461,027 -28,016 631,189 18,442
1980 11,647,260 -20,129 583,294 -148,341
1979 11,250,148 -13,704 623,068 -139,566
1978 11,473,980 -9,916 499,084 -85,721
1977 11,378,068 -15,323 578,947 -90,737
1976 11,782,472 -55,109 530,558 -92,314
1975 14,378,237 -115,173 603,300 -52,332
1974 15,738,118 -175,239 673,030 27,005
1973 18,423,727 -214,997 699,115 35,779
1972 19,102,585 -215,650 740,469 25,382
1971 19,622,980 -180,153 789,185 -6,326
1970 21,137,076 -126,510 747,987 -27,999
1969 20,760,332 -72,836 694,227 -21,175
1968 21,206,083 -37,290 684,487 -16,868
1967 19,263,662 1,246,654 692,169 -16,484
1966 19,282,187 4,165 623,534 -16,688
1965 20,296,950 -130,900 641,090 -146,386
1964 19,302,532 -1,250,441 655,501 -102,284
1963 22,742,225 -31,383 685,824 -80,226
1962 17,969,132 -31,305 712,590 -94,606
1961 2,496,047 -25,578 730,173 -93,179
1960 -3,048,510 -16,927 728,010 47,245

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/china/south-korea | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 90.3% of the population change in China is from natural causes (a gain of 31,814,462 people) and 9.66% is from migration (a loss of 3,400,807 people). In South Korea 4.97% is from natural causes (a loss of 55,818 people) and 95% is from migration (a gain of 1,066,282 people).

As of 2024, 1,638,718 residents or 0.1% of the population were not native-born in China, compared to 1,811,507 people or 3.5% in South Korea.

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
South Korea
City Population
Seoul 9.67M
Busan 3.45M
Incheon 3.05M
Daegu 2.38M
Daejeon 1.48M
Gwangju 1.41M
Suwon 1.23M
Ulsan 1.13M
Yongin 1.08M
Goyang 1.06M

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/china/south-korea | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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