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Population in China compared to the United Kingdom: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of China was 1,408,975,000 in 2024 vs 69,226,000 people in the United Kingdom in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current China's population is 1,402,578,808 people compared to 70,154,914 in the United Kingdom.

Population statistics:

  • China's population is 20 times bigger than the United Kingdom's.
  • China is ranked the 2nd most populous country in the world, while the United Kingdom is the 22nd.
  • The countries together account for 17.8% of the world: 16.9% for China vs 0.85% for the United Kingdom.
  • For the last 10 years, China has had an average growth rate of +0.3% per year vs +0.7% in the United Kingdom.
  • Since 2006, the population of China has increased from 1.31B people to 1.4B (6.98% growth), while the United Kingdom has grown from 60.8M to 70.2M (15.3% growth).

China vs United Kingdom: population by year and forecast

China
Factual

Projection
United Kingdom
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
China United Kingdom
2100 633,320,628 74,700,585
2099 643,959,697 74,831,175
2098 654,691,595 74,950,267
2097 665,517,335 75,064,397
2096 676,438,150 75,176,691
2095 687,457,915 75,287,063
2094 698,589,897 75,383,856
2093 709,852,629 75,482,205
2092 721,251,520 75,575,769
2091 732,791,748 75,666,091
2090 744,501,355 75,753,129
2089 756,404,299 75,835,723
2088 768,478,316 75,907,614
2087 780,707,622 75,978,712
2086 793,081,006 76,046,742
2085 805,608,315 76,105,680
2084 818,268,277 76,156,223
2083 830,972,107 76,205,894
2082 843,721,746 76,246,844
2081 856,534,631 76,274,040
2080 869,351,919 76,306,205
2079 882,146,959 76,334,949
2078 894,889,246 76,353,484
2077 907,592,919 76,371,123
2076 920,280,380 76,373,520
2075 932,956,157 76,386,071
2074 945,631,173 76,397,426
2073 958,352,980 76,406,554
2072 971,115,895 76,398,941
2071 983,938,054 76,388,223
2070 996,853,418 76,378,505
2069 1,009,905,851 76,371,827
2068 1,023,081,790 76,370,973
2067 1,036,420,010 76,363,548
2066 1,049,887,382 76,356,638
2065 1,063,477,623 76,355,841
2064 1,077,206,695 76,352,770
2063 1,090,982,303 76,353,175
2062 1,104,833,556 76,346,535
2061 1,118,682,849 76,344,206
2060 1,132,504,136 76,344,725
2059 1,146,199,736 76,345,215
2058 1,159,714,746 76,326,961
2057 1,172,963,523 76,307,006
2056 1,185,938,083 76,274,247
2055 1,198,550,408 76,235,304
2054 1,210,749,681 76,167,710
2053 1,222,500,569 76,094,051
2052 1,233,808,926 76,001,979
2051 1,244,584,333 75,895,690
2050 1,254,824,040 75,777,445
2049 1,264,598,914 75,646,044
2048 1,273,885,471 75,499,380
2047 1,282,701,271 75,338,951
2046 1,291,133,690 75,171,300
2045 1,299,154,327 74,993,186
2044 1,306,805,350 74,807,530
2043 1,314,176,710 74,607,485
2042 1,321,319,298 74,407,783
2041 1,328,219,755 74,203,292
2040 1,334,857,481 73,994,525
2039 1,341,265,381 73,782,112
2038 1,347,407,165 73,559,085
2037 1,353,377,505 73,335,723
2036 1,359,133,287 73,101,646
2035 1,364,651,508 72,850,722
2034 1,369,940,557 72,597,177
2033 1,375,003,005 72,322,802
2032 1,379,784,204 72,046,316
2031 1,384,301,522 71,757,868
2030 1,388,520,533 71,442,811
2029 1,392,490,007 71,123,782
2028 1,396,163,778 70,783,199
2027 1,399,515,824 70,421,923
2026 1,402,578,808 70,055,911
2025 1,405,826,385 69,658,188
2024 1,408,975,000 69,226,000
2023 1,410,710,000 68,492,000
2022 1,412,175,000 67,604,000
2021 1,412,360,000 66,984,000
2020 1,411,100,000 66,744,000
2019 1,407,745,000 66,631,000
2018 1,402,760,000 66,289,000
2017 1,396,215,000 65,966,000
2016 1,387,790,000 65,607,000
2015 1,379,860,000 65,088,000
2014 1,371,860,000 64,620,000
2013 1,363,240,000 64,139,000
2012 1,354,190,000 63,711,000
2011 1,345,035,000 63,258,810
2010 1,337,705,000 62,766,365
2009 1,331,260,000 62,276,270
2008 1,324,655,000 61,806,995
2007 1,317,885,000 61,322,463
2006 1,311,020,000 60,846,820
2005 1,303,720,000 60,401,206
2004 1,296,075,000 59,987,905
2003 1,288,400,000 59,647,577
2002 1,280,400,000 59,370,479
2001 1,271,850,000 59,119,673
2000 1,262,645,000 58,892,514
1999 1,252,735,000 58,682,466
1998 1,241,935,000 58,487,141
1997 1,230,075,000 58,316,954
1996 1,217,550,000 58,166,950
1995 1,204,855,000 58,019,030
1994 1,191,835,000 57,865,745
1993 1,178,440,000 57,718,614
1992 1,164,970,000 57,580,402
1991 1,150,780,000 57,424,897
1990 1,135,185,000 57,247,586
1989 1,118,650,000 57,076,711
1988 1,101,630,000 56,928,327
1987 1,084,035,000 56,802,050
1986 1,066,790,000 56,681,396
1985 1,051,040,000 56,550,268
1984 1,036,825,000 56,422,072
1983 1,023,310,000 56,332,848
1982 1,008,630,000 56,313,641
1981 993,885,000 56,333,829
1980 981,235,000 56,314,216
1979 969,005,000 56,246,951
1978 956,165,000 56,196,504
1977 943,455,000 56,193,492
1976 930,685,000 56,211,968
1975 916,395,000 56,225,800
1974 900,350,000 56,229,974
1973 881,940,000 56,194,527
1972 862,030,000 56,086,065
1971 841,105,000 55,896,223
1970 818,315,000 55,663,250
1969 796,025,000 55,441,750
1968 774,510,000 55,211,700
1967 754,550,000 54,943,600
1966 735,400,000 54,648,500
1965 715,185,000 54,348,050
1964 698,355,000 54,000,000
1963 682,335,000 53,650,000
1962 665,770,000 53,250,000
1961 660,330,000 52,800,000
1960 667,070,000 52,400,000

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/united-kingdom | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of China increased by 76,770,000 people (a 5.86% growth), while the United Kingdom gained 4,760,180 people (a 7.82% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, China gained 14,788,808 people (a 1.07% growth), while the United Kingdom's population increased by 4,547,914 people (a 6.93% growth).

China was ranked 1st most populous country in 2006 and is 2nd in 2026. The United Kingdom was ranked 21st in 2006 and ranked 22nd 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 the United Kingdom will increase by 8.01% to 75,777,445 people and rank change from 22nd to 26th.

The United Kingdom is projected to reach its peak in 2073 at 76.4M 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
United Kingdom
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
China United Kingdom
2100 -1.65% -0.17%
2099 -1.64% -0.16%
2098 -1.63% -0.15%
2097 -1.61% -0.15%
2096 -1.6% -0.15%
2095 -1.59% -0.13%
2094 -1.59% -0.13%
2093 -1.58% -0.12%
2092 -1.57% -0.12%
2091 -1.57% -0.11%
2090 -1.57% -0.11%
2089 -1.57% -0.09%
2088 -1.57% -0.09%
2087 -1.56% -0.09%
2086 -1.56% -0.08%
2085 -1.55% -0.07%
2084 -1.53% -0.07%
2083 -1.51% -0.05%
2082 -1.5% -0.04%
2081 -1.47% -0.04%
2080 -1.45% -0.04%
2079 -1.42% -0.02%
2078 -1.4% -0.02%
2077 -1.38% -0.003%
2076 -1.36% -0.02%
2075 -1.34% -0.01%
2074 -1.33% -0.01%
2073 -1.31% 0.01%
2072 -1.3% 0.01%
2071 -1.3% 0.01%
2070 -1.29% 0.009%
2069 -1.29% 0.001%
2068 -1.29% 0.01%
2067 -1.28% 0.009%
2066 -1.28% 0.001%
2065 -1.27% 0.004%
2064 -1.26% -0%
2063 -1.25% 0.009%
2062 -1.24% 0.003%
2061 -1.22% -0.001%
2060 -1.19% -0.001%
2059 -1.17% 0.02%
2058 -1.13% 0.03%
2057 -1.09% 0.04%
2056 -1.05% 0.05%
2055 -1.01% 0.09%
2054 -0.96% 0.1%
2053 -0.92% 0.12%
2052 -0.87% 0.14%
2051 -0.82% 0.16%
2050 -0.77% 0.17%
2049 -0.73% 0.19%
2048 -0.69% 0.21%
2047 -0.65% 0.22%
2046 -0.62% 0.24%
2045 -0.59% 0.25%
2044 -0.56% 0.27%
2043 -0.54% 0.27%
2042 -0.52% 0.28%
2041 -0.5% 0.28%
2040 -0.48% 0.29%
2039 -0.46% 0.3%
2038 -0.44% 0.3%
2037 -0.42% 0.32%
2036 -0.4% 0.34%
2035 -0.39% 0.35%
2034 -0.37% 0.38%
2033 -0.35% 0.38%
2032 -0.33% 0.4%
2031 -0.3% 0.44%
2030 -0.29% 0.45%
2029 -0.26% 0.48%
2028 -0.24% 0.51%
2027 -0.22% 0.52%
2026 -0.23% 0.57%
2025 -0.22% 0.62%
2024 -0.12% 1.07%
2023 -0.1% 1.31%
2022 -0.01% 0.93%
2021 0.09% 0.36%
2020 0.24% 0.17%
2019 0.36% 0.52%
2018 0.47% 0.49%
2017 0.61% 0.55%
2016 0.57% 0.8%
2015 0.58% 0.72%
2014 0.63% 0.75%
2013 0.67% 0.67%
2012 0.68% 0.71%
2011 0.55% 0.78%
2010 0.48% 0.79%
2009 0.5% 0.76%
2008 0.51% 0.79%
2007 0.52% 0.78%
2006 0.56% 0.74%
2005 0.59% 0.69%
2004 0.6% 0.57%
2003 0.62% 0.47%
2002 0.67% 0.42%
2001 0.73% 0.39%
2000 0.79% 0.36%
1999 0.87% 0.33%
1998 0.96% 0.29%
1997 1.03% 0.26%
1996 1.05% 0.25%
1995 1.09% 0.26%
1994 1.14% 0.25%
1993 1.16% 0.24%
1992 1.23% 0.27%
1991 1.37% 0.31%
1990 1.48% 0.3%
1989 1.54% 0.26%
1988 1.62% 0.22%
1987 1.62% 0.21%
1986 1.5% 0.23%
1985 1.37% 0.23%
1984 1.32% 0.16%
1983 1.46% 0.03%
1982 1.48% -0.04%
1981 1.29% 0.03%
1980 1.26% 0.12%
1979 1.34% 0.09%
1978 1.35% 0.005%
1977 1.37% -0.03%
1976 1.56% -0.02%
1975 1.78% -0.007%
1974 2.09% 0.06%
1973 2.31% 0.19%
1972 2.49% 0.34%
1971 2.78% 0.42%
1970 2.8% 0.4%
1969 2.78% 0.42%
1968 2.65% 0.49%
1967 2.6% 0.54%
1966 2.83% 0.55%
1965 2.41% 0.64%
1964 2.35% 0.65%
1963 2.49% 0.75%
1962 0.82% 0.85%
1961 -1.01% 0.76%

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/united-kingdom | CC BY

In 2024, the population of China declined by 0.12%, while the United Kingdom's population grew by 1.07%.

Live population counters

China United Kingdom
Current population
1402578808
70154914
Population rank 2/197 22/197
Percent of world population 16.9% 0.85%
One net population change
18.2 seconds
43 seconds
One birth every
3.5 seconds
45.9 seconds
One death every
2.84 seconds
48.4 seconds
Daily growth/decline -4,753 +2,011
Annual growth/decline -1,735,000 +734,000
Annual growth/decline rate -0.12% +1.07%
Population growth rate rank 173/197 97/197
One migration net change every
1.97 minutes
1.35 minutes
Annual migration change -268,126 +389,911
Net migration rank 189/196 4/196
Foreign-born residents 1,638,718 11,845,479
Foreign-born residents rank 43/195 4/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.1% 17.1%
Foreign-born share rank 192/195 36/195

Natural population change vs migration

China
Natural

Migration
United Kingdom
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
China United Kingdom
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -268,126 - 389,911
2024 - -318,992 - 417,114
2023 -2,087,851 -567,724 34,589 445,523
2022 -847,305 -293,846 39,751 487,029
2021 480,203 -379,749 30,612 462,967
2020 2,046,095 -91,577 -4,272 144,221
2019 4,673,713 -656,091 108,342 232,727
2018 5,302,433 -198,206 119,321 259,744
2017 7,790,880 -94,625 145,125 272,311
2016 9,062,269 -153,056 177,139 324,649
2015 6,788,911 -646,941 175,738 347,839
2014 9,205,180 -371,108 206,784 306,091
2013 8,043,116 -188,951 198,830 237,272
2012 10,075,174 -58,864 248,473 172,088
2011 8,245,065 -416,189 259,361 228,773
2010 6,407,607 -184,144 251,066 274,811
2009 6,483,236 -177,135 230,422 249,639
2008 6,729,247 -764,370 216,325 263,390
2007 6,813,465 -1,042,019 196,232 309,385
2006 6,922,185 -759,559 176,455 288,923
2005 7,678,911 -103,701 144,963 308,279
2004 7,607,960 -770,977 131,974 276,077
2003 7,743,284 -613,223 89,471 211,846
2002 8,258,580 -761,291 65,308 203,577
2001 8,839,358 -176,419 65,032 175,133
2000 9,570,849 -62,622 70,671 153,917
1999 10,247,372 -96,102 64,551 152,653
1998 11,351,286 -40,472 87,730 125,541
1997 12,374,554 -279,251 99,138 59,723
1996 12,686,872 -250,750 98,884 54,964
1995 12,711,220 -365,986 87,028 61,385
1994 13,360,470 -723,641 127,304 45,339
1993 13,493,138 -373,316 103,893 27,403
1992 13,548,601 -142,985 149,709 17,846
1991 14,937,124 -544,650 143,562 27,601
1990 16,335,313 -11,187 154,569 57,132
1989 16,824,495 -313,476 119,861 49,586
1988 17,328,640 -282,194 136,628 13,952
1987 18,005,821 -169,170 136,325 8,266
1986 16,609,920 -79,190 90,690 41,836
1985 14,987,830 -60,929 79,170 83,164
1984 13,561,671 -51,961 84,633 71,107
1983 13,599,789 -43,756 61,966 27,063
1982 15,815,318 -36,181 56,314 -61,152
1981 14,461,027 -28,016 73,234 -83,876
1980 11,647,260 -20,129 95,734 -25,187
1979 11,250,148 -13,704 61,872 11,255
1978 11,473,980 -9,916 16,859 3,783
1977 11,378,068 -15,323 0 -21,636
1976 11,782,472 -55,109 -5,621 -19,135
1975 14,378,237 -115,173 33,735 -40,241
1974 15,738,118 -175,239 67,476 -65,710
1973 18,423,727 -214,997 112,389 -33,840
1972 19,102,585 -215,650 162,650 -1,406
1971 19,622,980 -180,153 257,123 1,175
1970 21,137,076 -126,510 244,918 -15,254
1969 20,760,332 -72,836 260,577 -60,655
1968 21,206,083 -37,290 292,622 -38,852
1967 19,263,662 1,246,654 346,145 -39,659
1966 19,282,187 4,165 333,356 -27,935
1965 20,296,950 -130,900 364,132 -24,955
1964 19,302,532 -1,250,441 405,000 -23,885
1963 22,742,225 -31,383 337,995 8,271
1962 17,969,132 -31,305 340,800 76,443
1961 2,496,047 -25,578 311,519 52,295
1960 -3,048,510 -16,927 314,400 19,953

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

GeoRank.org/population/china/united-kingdom | 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 the United Kingdom 23.9% is from natural causes (a gain of 1,033,129 people) and 76.1% is from migration (a gain of 3,283,101 people).

As of 2024, 1,638,718 residents or 0.1% of the population were not native-born in China, compared to 11,845,479 people or 17.1% in the United Kingdom.

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
United Kingdom
City Population
London 8.8M
Birmingham 1.14M
Glasgow 626K
Manchester 548K
Leeds 536K
Sheffield 518K
Liverpool 513K
Edinburgh 488K
Bristol 472K
Cardiff 384K

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/united-kingdom | 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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