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China vs India
Side-by-side comparison of China and India from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
China
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 3,625 years
In short
China scores 69.8 in the NationsTree Index (36th in the world) and India scores 56.6 (64th), a gap of 13.2 points. Their trees are 132 m and 80 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
China and India have a similar population. China is 2.9 times larger than India by land area. China has an economy 2.4 times the size of India (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: China 1.4 billion and India 1.5 billion (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $29,333 in China and $11,748 in India (2025, international dollars). People in China live on average 5.8 years longer (78.0 vs 72.2 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, China ranks higher in the world on 28 and India on 9. China is clearly stronger in infrastructure & digital, society & health and science & innovation. India is clearly stronger in military.
As a nation, China is the older of the two (statehood since 1600 BC, 3,625 years), compared with India (since 322 BC). Over the last five years India improved faster (direction score 97 vs 42 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between China and India.
Chinabetter
47.2
9th of 208
India
3.2
147th of 208
Extreme povertySociety & health
Chinabetter
0.0%
1st of 108
India
2.6%
68th of 108
Income inequality (Gini)Society & health
China
36.0
65th of 108
Indiabetter
23.0
1st of 108
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Chinabetter
100.0%
1st of 215
India
99.9%
123rd of 215
Homicide rateInstitutions & safety
Chinabetter
0.5
11th of 145
India
2.8
83rd of 145
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
India overtook China in population in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
China overtook India in GDP per person (PPP) in 1992 and has stayed ahead since.
China has been ahead of India in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1993.
China has been ahead of India in GDP (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
ChinaIndia 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 | China | India |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 9,562,9104th/216 · 2024 | 3,287,2637th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 9,388,2102nd/216 · 2024 | 2,973,1907th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 1.4 bn2nd/217 · 2025 | 1.5 bn1st/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.17%188th/217 · 2025 | 0.89%109th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 150.176th/216 · 2024 | 488.025th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 66.3%101st/217 · 2025 | 35.7%182nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 15.4%174th/217 · 2025 | 24.2%101st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 14.9%68th/217 · 2025 | 7.4%121st/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $19.50 trn2nd/210 · 2025 | $3.96 trn6th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $41.26 trn1st/199 · 2025 | $17.20 trn3rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $35.26 trn1st/199 · 2025 | $14.70 trn3rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $13,86293rd/210 · 2025 | $2,702166th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $29,33381st/199 · 2025 | $11,748136th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $14,23078th/201 · 2025 | $2,760156th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 5.0%53rd/210 · 2025 | 7.6%15th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 0.1%14th/180 · 2025 | 2.4%75th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 4.6%76th/187 · 2025 | 4.2%71st/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 46.5%2018 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 98.6%166th/189 · 2025 | 84.3%153rd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -7.9%179th/192 · 2025 | -7.4%175th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 6.7%95th/197 · 2025 | 16.2%49th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 35.6%29th/200 · 2025 | 25.2%83rd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 24.7%9th/192 · 2025 | 13.5%57th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 57.7%100th/200 · 2025 | 49.3%148th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $4.11 trn1st/182 · 2025 | $880.74 bn10th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $3.29 trn2nd/182 · 2025 | $949.66 bn7th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 21.1%144th/183 · 2025 | 22.3%133rd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 16.9%173rd/183 · 2025 | 24.0%155th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 38.0%165th/183 · 2025 | 46.3%151st/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 1.4%111th/170 · 2025 | 13.1%42nd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 90.5%4th/171 · 2025 | 70.1%41st/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 2.3%150th/171 · 2025 | 11.9%106th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.6%115th/171 · 2025 | 3.8%75th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 26.3%20th/168 · 2024 | 18.6%35th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 3.7%44th/191 · 2025 | -0.7%87th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.4%163rd/196 · 2025 | 1.0%142nd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 1.7%103rd/209 · 2021 | 3.2%85th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.31%62nd/197 · 2021 | 0.33%60th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.21%52nd/197 · 2021 | 0.08%62nd/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.61%12th/195 · 2021 | 1.28%5th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.51%55th/209 · 2021 | 1.32%41st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.07%122nd/209 · 2021 | 0.16%102nd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 11.6%88th/206 · 2024 | 51.7%6th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 1,992106th/183 · 2022 | 1,014127th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 30.4 m11th/194 · 2020 | 17.9 m14th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $27.76 bn2004 | $13.41 bn13th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.6%2004 | 2.8%112th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 20.3 m12th/107 · 2020 | 26.9 m7th/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 78.070th/217 · 2024 | 72.2137th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.747th/196 · 2024 | 26.6134th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.1156th/174 · 2022 | 0.72115th/174 · 2020 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 5.619th/145 · 2023 | 1.698th/145 · 2021 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 94%66th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 72.4%80th/153 · 2020 | 52.7%111th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 92.3%2012 | 79.6%128th/173 · 2025 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 63.1%2013 | 77.2%2011 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 21.4%69th/217 · 2025 | 10.8%125th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 5.9%106th/193 · 2023 | 3.3%171st/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 96.7%27th/98 · 2020 | 78.2%69th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 76.9%36th/150 · 2024 | 34.4%103rd/150 · 2025 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.79778th/193 · 2023 | 0.685130th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 36.065th/108 · 2022 | 23.01st/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.0%1st/108 · 2022 | 2.6%68th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 99.9%123rd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 76.4%79th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 68.9%66th/144 · 2024 | 62.8%69th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 91.6%47th/186 · 2025 | 70.0%124th/186 · 2025 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 13254th/210 · 2024 | 79167th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 47.29th/208 · 2024 | 3.2147th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 4.0014th/164 · 2022 | 3.2046th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 109,7672nd/82 · 2021 | 68,1034th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 619.2 m2nd/161 · 2023 | 180.4 m4th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 9.32182nd/203 · 2024 | 2.1793rd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 15.2%122nd/212 · 2021 | 34.9%69th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 32.0158th/200 · 2023 | 54.1190th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 24.0%122nd/214 · 2024 | 24.4%121st/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,94737th/149 · 2024 | 777107th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 65.159th/205 · 2025 | 62.664th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 49.589th/207 · 2025 | 42.4112th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 51.6127th/207 · 2025 | 56.5106th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 66.0115th/207 · 2025 | 55.0162nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 53.6104th/205 · 2025 | 52.6109th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 26.1191st/205 · 2025 | 54.9110th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.511th/145 · 2020 | 2.883rd/145 · 2022 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $335.52 bn2nd/156 · 2025 | $92.06 bn5th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.7%78th/156 · 2025 | 2.3%47th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.1%79th/154 · 2025 | 8.2%38th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 2.5 m2nd/170 · 2020 | 3.1 m1st/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.33%142nd/168 · 2020 | 0.58%103rd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 207.0 m37th/163 · 2025 | 2.9 bn2nd/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 880.0 m8th/65 · 2025 | 81.0 m28th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 2.58%15th/110 · 2023 | 0.65%56th/110 · 2020 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1.7 m1st/137 · 2024 | 63,2175th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 932,7121st/197 · 2023 | 228,1743rd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, China or India?
India has the larger population: 1.5 bn (2025) compared with 1.4 bn for China (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, China or India?
China is larger: 9,562,910 km² (2024) compared with 3,287,263 km² for India (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, China or India?
China has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $41.26 trn intl. (2025) compared with $17.20 trn intl. for India (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, China or India?
China has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $29,333 intl. (2025) compared with $11,748 intl. for India (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in China or India?
China has the higher life expectancy at birth: 78.0 years (2024) compared with 72.2 years for India (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, China or India?
China spends more on the military: $335.52 bn (2025) compared with $92.06 bn for India (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, China or India?
China: 69.8 points (36th in the world); India: 56.6 points (64th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
South Africa
Bangladesh
Bhutan
NepalSources
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). China vs India — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/china-vs-india. Data as of 26 October 2026.