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Argentina vs China
Side-by-side comparison of Argentina and China from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Argentina
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 210 years
China
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 3,625 years
In short
China scores 69.8 in the NationsTree Index (36th in the world) and Argentina scores 54.6 (72nd), a gap of 15.2 points. Their trees are 23 m and 132 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
China has 31 times the population of Argentina. China is 3.4 times larger than Argentina by land area. China has an economy 28 times the size of Argentina (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Argentina 45.9 million and China 1.4 billion (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $32,587 in Argentina and $29,333 in China (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 77.5 and 78.0 years.
Of 35 indicators reported by both countries, Argentina ranks higher in the world on 16 and China on 19. China is clearly stronger in science & innovation, military and tourism.
As a nation, China is the older of the two (statehood since 1600 BC, 3,625 years), compared with Argentina (since 1816). Over the last five years China improved faster (direction score 42 vs 19 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Argentina and China.
Argentina
219.9%
180th of 180
Chinabetter
0.1%
14th of 180
Government budget balanceEconomy
Argentinabetter
-0.2%
40th of 192
China
-7.9%
179th of 192
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Argentina
75%
157th of 193
Chinabetter
97%
29th of 193
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Argentina
98.4%
140th of 215
Chinabetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Homicide rateInstitutions & safety
Argentina
4.5
96th of 145
Chinabetter
0.5
11th of 145
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
China overtook Argentina in life expectancy in 2012 and has stayed ahead since.
China overtook Argentina in the NationsTree Index in 2008 and has stayed ahead since.
Argentina has been ahead of China in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
China has been ahead of Argentina in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
ArgentinaChina All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Argentina | China |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 2,780,4008th/216 · 2024 | 9,562,9104th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 2,736,6908th/216 · 2024 | 9,388,2102nd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 45.9 m35th/217 · 2025 | 1.4 bn2nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.34%152nd/217 · 2025 | -0.17%188th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 16.7195th/216 · 2024 | 150.176th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 92.4%25th/217 · 2025 | 66.3%101st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 21.0%117th/217 · 2025 | 15.4%174th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 12.6%80th/217 · 2025 | 14.9%68th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $683.10 bn24th/210 · 2025 | $19.50 trn2nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.49 trn28th/199 · 2025 | $41.26 trn1st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.28 trn28th/199 · 2025 | $35.26 trn1st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $14,89886th/210 · 2025 | $13,86293rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $32,58779th/199 · 2025 | $29,33381st/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $14,65077th/201 · 2025 | $14,23078th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.4%69th/210 · 2025 | 5.0%53rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 219.9%180th/180 · 2024 | 0.1%14th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 7.1%128th/187 · 2025 | 4.6%76th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 80.1%146th/189 · 2025 | 98.6%166th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -0.2%40th/192 · 2025 | -7.9%179th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 5.5%103rd/197 · 2025 | 6.7%95th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 22.9%106th/200 · 2025 | 35.6%29th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.6%55th/192 · 2025 | 24.7%9th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 56.2%114th/200 · 2025 | 57.7%100th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $106.26 bn48th/182 · 2025 | $4.11 trn1st/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $101.16 bn50th/182 · 2025 | $3.29 trn2nd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 15.6%161st/183 · 2025 | 21.1%144th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 14.8%177th/183 · 2025 | 16.9%173rd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 30.4%176th/183 · 2025 | 38.0%165th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 9.1%52nd/170 · 2025 | 1.4%111th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 12.6%125th/171 · 2025 | 90.5%4th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 50.1%29th/171 · 2025 | 2.3%150th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.1%163rd/171 · 2025 | 1.6%115th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 3.9%106th/168 · 2024 | 26.3%20th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -1.1%93rd/191 · 2025 | 3.7%44th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.6%154th/196 · 2025 | 0.4%163rd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 2.7%89th/209 · 2021 | 1.7%103rd/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 1.54%41st/197 · 2021 | 0.31%62nd/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.39%41st/197 · 2021 | 0.21%52nd/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%65th/195 · 2021 | 0.61%12th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.58%53rd/209 · 2021 | 0.51%55th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.14%103rd/209 · 2021 | 0.07%122nd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 17.1%63rd/206 · 2024 | 11.6%88th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 6,43160th/183 · 2022 | 1,992106th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 7.4 m28th/194 · 2019 | 30.4 m11th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.70 bn57th/175 · 2020 | $27.76 bn2004 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 2.6%116th/168 · 2020 | 4.6%2004 |
| Outbound trips departures | 15.4 m14th/107 · 2019 | 20.3 m12th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 77.580th/217 · 2024 | 78.070th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 9.570th/196 · 2024 | 5.747th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 5.119th/174 · 2023 | 3.1156th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.451st/145 · 2022 | 5.619th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 75%157th/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 56.4%2003 | 72.4%80th/153 · 2020 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 105.6%38th/173 · 2023 | 92.3%2012 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 56.6%24th/55 · 2022 | 63.1%2013 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 19.0%77th/217 · 2025 | 21.4%69th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.3%26th/193 · 2023 | 5.9%106th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.1%14th/98 · 2020 | 96.7%27th/98 · 2020 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 107.8%9th/150 · 2023 | 76.9%36th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.86547th/193 · 2023 | 0.79778th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 42.493rd/108 · 2024 | 36.065th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 1.0%50th/108 · 2024 | 0.0%1st/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 98.4%140th/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 48.5%2016 | 68.9%66th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 89.7%59th/186 · 2024 | 91.6%47th/186 · 2025 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 14040th/210 · 2024 | 13254th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 26.172nd/208 · 2024 | 47.29th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.8063rd/164 · 2022 | 4.0014th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 17,86611th/82 · 2019 | 109,7672nd/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 21.1 m33rd/161 · 2023 | 619.2 m2nd/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.01135th/203 · 2024 | 9.32182nd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 9.2%149th/212 · 2021 | 15.2%122nd/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 14.379th/200 · 2023 | 32.0158th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 17.1%141st/214 · 2024 | 24.0%122nd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,73765th/149 · 2024 | 2,94737th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 58.079th/205 · 2025 | 65.159th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 40.3125th/207 · 2025 | 49.589th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 56.9102nd/207 · 2025 | 51.6127th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 68.4103rd/207 · 2025 | 66.0115th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 53.9102nd/205 · 2025 | 53.6104th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 65.973rd/205 · 2025 | 26.1191st/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 4.596th/145 · 2023 | 0.511th/145 · 2020 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $3.88 bn52nd/156 · 2025 | $335.52 bn2nd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.6%142nd/156 · 2025 | 1.7%78th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 1.8%144th/154 · 2025 | 5.1%79th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 103,00053rd/170 · 2020 | 2.5 m2nd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.53%111th/168 · 2020 | 0.33%142nd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 108.0 m47th/163 · 2025 | 207.0 m37th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.0 m2011 | 880.0 m8th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.60%59th/110 · 2023 | 2.58%15th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 44548th/137 · 2024 | 1.7 m1st/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 8,58947th/197 · 2023 | 932,7121st/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Argentina or China?
China has the larger population: 1.4 bn (2025) compared with 45.9 m for Argentina (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Argentina or China?
China is larger: 9,562,910 km² (2024) compared with 2,780,400 km² for Argentina (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Argentina or China?
China has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $41.26 trn intl. (2025) compared with $1.49 trn intl. for Argentina (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Argentina or China?
Argentina has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $32,587 intl. (2025) compared with $29,333 intl. for China (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Argentina or China?
China has the higher life expectancy at birth: 78.0 years (2024) compared with 77.5 years for Argentina (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Argentina or China?
China spends more on the military: $335.52 bn (2025) compared with $3.88 bn for Argentina (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Argentina or China?
China: 69.8 points (36th in the world); Argentina: 54.6 points (72nd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Australia
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
Peru
South AfricaSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Argentina vs China — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/argentina-vs-china. Data as of 26 October 2026.