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Austria vs Czechia
China vs Russia
Side-by-side comparison of China and Russia 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
Russia
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,144 years
In short
China scores 69.8 in the NationsTree Index (36th in the world) and Russia scores 63.8 (51st), a gap of 6.0 points. Their trees are 132 m and 54 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
China has 9.8 times the population of Russia. Russia has 79% more land area than China. China has an economy 5.7 times the size of Russia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: China 1.4 billion and Russia 143.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $49,568 in Russia and $29,333 in China (2025, international dollars). People in China live on average 4.6 years longer (78.0 vs 73.4 years).
Of 35 indicators reported by both countries, China ranks higher in the world on 18 and Russia on 17. China is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, tourism and main industries. Russia is clearly stronger in military, natural resources and environment & energy.
As a nation, China is the older of the two (statehood since 1600 BC, 3,625 years), compared with Russia (since 882). Over the last five years Russia improved faster (direction score 45 vs 42 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between China and Russia.
China
98.6%
166th of 189
Russiabetter
16.6%
15th of 189
InflationEconomy
Chinabetter
0.1%
14th of 180
Russia
8.7%
155th of 180
Homicide rateInstitutions & safety
Chinabetter
0.5
11th of 145
Russia
6.8
107th of 145
Air pollution (PM2.5)Environment & energy
China
32.0
158th of 200
Russiabetter
11.6
59th of 200
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
China
1,992
106th of 183
Russiabetter
29,895
20th of 183
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
China overtook Russia in the NationsTree Index in 2013 and has stayed ahead since.
China overtook Russia in GDP (PPP) and life expectancy in 1991 and has stayed ahead since.
Russia has been ahead of China in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
China has been ahead of Russia in 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
ChinaRussia 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 | Russia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 9,562,9104th/216 · 2024 | 17,125,1901st/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 9,388,2102nd/216 · 2024 | 16,376,8701st/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 1.4 bn2nd/217 · 2025 | 143.5 m9th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.17%188th/217 · 2025 | -0.11%178th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 150.176th/216 · 2024 | 8.8203rd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 66.3%101st/217 · 2025 | 75.3%73rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 15.4%174th/217 · 2025 | 17.0%154th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 14.9%68th/217 · 2025 | 17.8%50th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $19.50 trn2nd/210 · 2025 | $2.56 trn8th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $41.26 trn1st/199 · 2025 | $7.24 trn4th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $35.26 trn1st/199 · 2025 | $6.18 trn4th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $13,86293rd/210 · 2025 | $17,54784th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $29,33381st/199 · 2025 | $49,56855th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $14,23078th/201 · 2025 | $15,96076th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 5.0%53rd/210 · 2025 | 1.0%175th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 0.1%14th/180 · 2025 | 8.7%155th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 4.6%76th/187 · 2025 | 2.1%18th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 17.9%4th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 98.6%166th/189 · 2025 | 16.6%15th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -7.9%179th/192 · 2025 | -3.9%129th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 6.7%95th/197 · 2025 | 3.1%127th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 35.6%29th/200 · 2025 | 29.7%55th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 24.7%9th/192 · 2025 | 13.7%54th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 57.7%100th/200 · 2025 | 58.9%94th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $4.11 trn1st/182 · 2025 | $466.24 bn22nd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $3.29 trn2nd/182 · 2025 | $397.18 bn25th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 21.1%144th/183 · 2025 | 18.2%151st/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 16.9%173rd/183 · 2025 | 15.5%176th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 38.0%165th/183 · 2025 | 33.7%173rd/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 1.4%111th/170 · 2025 | 43.1%25th/170 · 2021 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 90.5%4th/171 · 2025 | 22.1%102nd/171 · 2021 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 2.3%150th/171 · 2025 | 6.6%133rd/171 · 2021 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.6%115th/171 · 2025 | 7.4%50th/171 · 2021 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 26.3%20th/168 · 2024 | 9.7%67th/168 · 2021 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 3.7%44th/191 · 2025 | 1.5%63rd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.4%163rd/196 · 2025 | 0.4%161st/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 1.7%103rd/209 · 2021 | 18.5%25th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.31%62nd/197 · 2021 | 9.67%20th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.21%52nd/197 · 2021 | 5.86%11th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.61%12th/195 · 2021 | 0.61%11th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.51%55th/209 · 2021 | 2.05%35th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.07%122nd/209 · 2021 | 0.31%79th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 11.6%88th/206 · 2024 | 7.4%117th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 1,992106th/183 · 2022 | 29,89520th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 30.4 m11th/194 · 2020 | 6.4 m31st/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $27.76 bn2004 | $4.96 bn30th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.6%2004 | 1.3%145th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 20.3 m12th/107 · 2020 | 12.4 m16th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 78.070th/217 · 2024 | 73.4122nd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.747th/196 · 2024 | 5.241st/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.1156th/174 · 2022 | 5.118th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 5.619th/145 · 2023 | 6.88th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 72.4%80th/153 · 2020 | 98.6%15th/153 · 2021 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 92.3%2012 | 92.5%89th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 63.1%2013 | 77.5%2017 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 21.4%69th/217 · 2025 | 27.3%51st/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 5.9%106th/193 · 2023 | 7.0%85th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 96.7%27th/98 · 2020 | 99.9%3rd/98 · 2021 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 76.9%36th/150 · 2024 | 60.4%59th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.79778th/193 · 2023 | 0.83264th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 36.065th/108 · 2022 | 33.042nd/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.0%1st/108 · 2022 | 0.1%10th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 76.3%80th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 68.9%66th/144 · 2024 | 58.2%76th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 91.6%47th/186 · 2025 | 94.4%31st/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 13254th/210 · 2024 | 1869th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 47.29th/208 · 2024 | 27.170th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 4.0014th/164 · 2022 | 2.7071st/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 109,7672nd/82 · 2021 | 85,5443rd/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 619.2 m2nd/161 · 2023 | 98.9 m8th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 9.32182nd/203 · 2024 | 13.98190th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 15.2%122nd/212 · 2021 | 3.5%172nd/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 32.0158th/200 · 2023 | 11.659th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 24.0%122nd/214 · 2024 | 50.8%56th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,94737th/149 · 2024 | 5,72711th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 65.159th/205 · 2025 | 42.1143rd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 49.589th/207 · 2025 | 28.2167th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 51.6127th/207 · 2025 | 37.7186th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 66.0115th/207 · 2025 | 49.0179th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 53.6104th/205 · 2025 | 34.9182nd/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 26.1191st/205 · 2025 | 31.3178th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.511th/145 · 2020 | 6.8107th/145 · 2021 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $335.52 bn2nd/156 · 2025 | $190.42 bn3rd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.7%78th/156 · 2025 | 7.5%4th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.1%79th/154 · 2025 | 19.8%9th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 2.5 m2nd/170 · 2020 | 1.5 m4th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.33%142nd/168 · 2020 | 1.98%29th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 207.0 m37th/163 · 2025 | 129.0 m44th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 880.0 m8th/65 · 2025 | 1.9 bn5th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 2.58%15th/110 · 2023 | 0.94%44th/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1.7 m1st/137 · 2024 | 21,5027th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 932,7121st/197 · 2023 | 85,5587th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, China or Russia?
China has the larger population: 1.4 bn (2025) compared with 143.5 m for Russia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, China or Russia?
Russia is larger: 17,125,190 km² (2024) compared with 9,562,910 km² for China (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, China or Russia?
China has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $41.26 trn intl. (2025) compared with $7.24 trn intl. for Russia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, China or Russia?
Russia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $49,568 intl. (2025) compared with $29,333 intl. for China (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in China or Russia?
China has the higher life expectancy at birth: 78.0 years (2024) compared with 73.4 years for Russia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, China or Russia?
China spends more on the military: $335.52 bn (2025) compared with $190.42 bn for Russia (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, China or Russia?
China: 69.8 points (36th in the world); Russia: 63.8 points (51st). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
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). China vs Russia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/china-vs-russia. Data as of 26 October 2026.