China

China's historical civilization dates to at least the 13th century B.C., first under the Shang (to 1046 B.C.) and then the Zhou (1046-221 B.C.) dynasties. The imperial era of China began in 221 B.C. under the Qin Dynasty and lasted until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912. During this period, China alternated between periods of unity and disunity under a succession of imperial dynasties. In the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty suffered heavily from overextension by territorial conquest, insolvency, civil war, imperialism, military defeats, and foreign expropriation of ports and infrastructure. It collapsed following the Revolution of 1911, and China became a republic under SUN Yat-sen of the Kuomintang (KMT or Nationalist) Party. However, the republic was beset by division, warlordism, and continued foreign intervention. In the late 1920s, a civil war erupted between the ruling KMT-controlled government, led by CHIANG Kai-shek, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Japan occupied much of northeastern China in the early 1930s, and then launched a full-scale invasion of the country in 1937. The resulting eight years of warfare devastated the country and cost up to 20 million Chinese lives by the time of Japan’s defeat in 1945. The Nationalist-Communist civil war continued with renewed intensity after the end of World War II and culminated with a CCP victory in 1949, under the leadership of MAO Zedong.MAO and the CCP established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring the PRC's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and launched agricultural, economic, political, and social policies -- such as the Great Leap Forward (1958-1962) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) -- that cost the lives of millions of people. MAO died in 1976. Beginning in 1978, leaders DENG Xiaoping, JIANG Zemin, and HU Jintao focused on market-oriented economic development and opening up the country to foreign trade, while maintaining the rule of the CCP. Since the change, China has been among the world’s fastest growing economies, with real gross domestic product averaging over 9% growth annually through 2021, lifting an estimated 800 million people out of poverty and dramatically improving overall living standards. By 2011, the PRC’s economy was the second largest in the world. Current leader XI Jinping has continued these policies but has also maintained tight political controls. Over the past decade, China has increased its global outreach, including military deployments, participation in international organizations, and a global connectivity plan in 2013 called the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI). Many nations have signed on to BRI agreements to attract PRC investment, but others have expressed concerns about such issues as the opaque nature of the projects, financing, and potentially unsustainable debt obligations. XI Jinping assumed the positions of General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission in 2012 and President in 2013. In 2018, the PRC’s National People’s Congress passed an amendment abolishing presidential term limits, which allowed XI to gain a third five-year term in 2023.   

land

9,326,410 sq km

total

9,596,960 sq km

water

270,550 sq km

slightly smaller than the US

extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

14,500 km

highest point

Mount Everest (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level) 8,849 m

lowest point

Turpan Pendi (Turfan Depression) -154 m

mean elevation

1,840 m

35 00 N, 105 00 E

note 1: world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US) and largest country situated entirely in Asia; Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak above sea levelnote 2: the largest cave chamber in the world is the Miao Room, in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park, which encloses some 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume; the world's largest sinkhole is the Xiaoxhai Tiankeng sinkhole in Chongqing Municipality, which is 660 m deep, with a volume of 130 million cu mnote 3: China appears to have been the center of domestication for two of the world's leading cereal crops: millet in the north along the Yellow River and rice in the south along the lower or middle Yangtze River

690,070 sq km (2012)

border countries

Afghanistan 91 km; Bhutan 477 km; Burma 2,129 km; India 2,659 km; Kazakhstan 1,765 km; North Korea 1,352 km; Kyrgyzstan 1,063 km; Laos 475 km; Mongolia 4,630 km; Nepal 1,389 km; Pakistan 438 km; Russia (northeast) 4,133 km and Russia (northwest) 46 km; Tajikistan 477 km; Vietnam 1,297 km

total

22,457 km

agricultural land

54.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 41.8% (2018 est.)

forest

22.3% (2018 est.)

other

23% (2018 est.)

Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

North China Aquifer System (Huang Huai Hai Plain), Song-Liao Plain, Tarim Basin

fresh water lake(s)

Dongting Hu - 3,100 sq km; Poyang Hu - 3,350 sq km; Hongze Hu - 2,700 sq km; Tai Hu - 2,210 sq km; Hulun Nur - 1,590

salt water lake(s)

Quinghai Hu - 4,460 sq km; Nam Co - 2,500 sq km; Siling Co - 1,860 sq km; Tangra Yumco - 1,400 sq km; Bosten Hu 1,380 sq km

Yangtze - 6,300 km; Huang He - 5,464 km; Amur river source (shared with Mongolia and Russia [m]) - 4,444 km; Lancang Jiang (Mekong) river source (shared with Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km; Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (Brahmaputra) river source (shared with India and Bangladesh [m]) - 3,969 km; Yin-tu Ho (Indus) river source (shared with India and Pakistan [m]) - 3,610 km; Nu Jiang (Salween) river source (shared with Thailand and Burma [m]) - 3,060 km; Irrawaddy river source (shared with Burma [m]) - 2,809 km; Zhu Jiang (Pearl) (shared with Vietnam [s]) - 2,200 km; Yuan Jiang (Red river) source (shared with Vietnam [m]) - 1,149 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Pacific Ocean drainage: Amur (1,929,955 sq km), Huang He (944,970 sq km), Mekong (805,604 sq km), Yangtze (1,722,193 sq km)Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km), Salween (271,914 sq km)Arctic Ocean drainage: Ob (2,972,493 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km), Lake Balkash (510,015 sq km)

Asia

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidencevolcanism: China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries

coal, iron ore, helium, petroleum, natural gas, arsenic, bismuth, cobalt, cadmium, ferrosilicon, gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, lithium, mercury, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, antimony, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, selenium, strontium, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest), arable land

overwhelming majority of the population is found in the eastern half of the country; the west, with its vast mountainous and desert areas, remains sparsely populated; though ranked first in the world in total population, overall density is less than that of many other countries in Asia and Europe; high population density is found along the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys, the Xi Jiang River delta, the Sichuan Basin (around Chengdu), in and around Beijing, and the industrial area around Shenyang

mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east

0-14 years

16.3% (male 122,644,111/female 107,926,176)

15-64 years

69.3% (male 505,412,555/female 476,599,793)

65 years and over

14.4% (2024 est.) (male 94,144,838/female 109,315,797)

beer

1.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

4.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

10.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

men married by age 18

0.7% (2020 est.)

women married by age 15

0.1%

women married by age 18

2.8%

2.4% (2013)

84.5% (2017)

5.6% of GDP (2020)

75.9% (2023 est.)

7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

19

note

note: data do not include Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan

potential support ratio

5.3 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

44.5

youth dependency ratio

25.5

improved: rural

rural: 91.5% of population

improved: total

total: 95.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 8.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 4.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.7% of population

3.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Han Chinese 91.1%, ethnic minorities 8.9% (includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

note

note: the PRC officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups

0.74 (2024 est.)

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

female

5.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

6.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official; Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages; note - Zhuang is official in Guangxi Zhuang, Yue is official in Guangdong, Mongolian is official in Nei Mongol, Uyghur is official in Xinjiang Uygur, Kyrgyz is official in Xinjiang Uyghur, and Tibetan is official in Xizang (Tibet)

major-language sample(s)

世界概況  –  不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Standard Chinese)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

female

81.7 years

male

76 years

total population

78.7 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95.2% (2018)

male

98.5%

total population

96.8%

29.211 million Shanghai, 21.766 million BEIJING (capital), 17.341 million Chongqing, 14.284 million Guangzhou, 14.239 million Tianjin, 13.073 million Shenzhen (2023)

23 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

41.5 years

male

39 years

total

40.2 years (2024 est.)

adjective

Chinese

noun

Chinese (singular and plural)

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

6.2% (2016)

in October 2015, the Chinese Government announced that it would change its rules to allow all couples to have two children, loosening a 1979 mandate that restricted many couples to one child; the new policy was implemented on 1 January 2016 to address China’s rapidly aging population and future economic needs

2.23 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

female

693,841,766 (2024 est.)

male

722,201,504

total

1,416,043,270

overwhelming majority of the population is found in the eastern half of the country; the west, with its vast mountainous and desert areas, remains sparsely populated; though ranked first in the world in total population, overall density is less than that of many other countries in Asia and Europe; high population density is found along the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys, the Xi Jiang River delta, the Sichuan Basin (around Chengdu), in and around Beijing, and the industrial area around Shenyang

0.23% (2024 est.)

folk religion 21.9%, Buddhist 18.2%, Christian 5.1%, Muslim 1.8%, Hindu < 0.1%, Jewish < 0.1%, other 0.7% (includes Daoist (Taoist)), unaffiliated 52.1% (2021 est.)

note

note: officially atheist

improved: rural

rural: 90.6% of population

improved: total

total: 94.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 9.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 5.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.4% of population

female

14 years (2015)

male

14 years

total

14 years

0-14 years

1.14 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.09 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

1.7% (2020 est.)

male

49.4% (2020 est.)

total

25.6% (2020 est.)

1.55 children born/woman (2024 est.)

note

note: data do not include Hong Kong and Macau

rate of urbanization

1.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

64.6% of total population (2023)

23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural), and two special administrative regions (tebie xingzhengqu, singular and plural) provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan) autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), Ningxia, Xinjiang Uyghur, Xizang (Tibet) municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjinspecial administrative regions: Hong Kong, Macau

note

note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

etymology

the Chinese meaning is "Northern Capital"

geographic coordinates

39 55 N, 116 23 E

name

Beijing

time difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note

China is the largest country (in terms of area) with just one time zone; before 1949 it was divided into five

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

least one parent must be a citizen of China

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

while naturalization is theoretically possible, in practical terms it is extremely difficult; residency is required but not specified

amendments

proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress or supported by more than one fifth of the National People’s Congress membership; passage requires more than two-thirds majority vote of the Congress membership; amended several times, last in 2018

history

several previous; latest promulgated 4 December 1982

abbreviation

PRC

conventional long form

People's Republic of China

conventional short form

China

etymology

English name derives from the Qin (Chin) rulers of the 3rd century B.C., who comprised the first imperial dynasty of ancient China; the Chinese name Zhongguo translates as "Central Nation" or "Middle Kingdom"

local long form

Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo

local short form

Zhongguo

chief of mission

Ambassador Nicholas BURNS (since 2 April 2022)

consulate(s) general

Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan; note - the Chinese Government ordered closure of the US consulate in Chengdu in late July 2020

email address and website

BeijingACS@state.govhttps://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/

embassy

55 Anjialou Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100600

FAX

[86] (10) 8531-4200

mailing address

7300 Beijing Place, Washington DC  20521-7300

telephone

[86] (10) 8531-3000

chancery

3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador XIE Feng (since 30 June 2023)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco; note - the US ordered closure of the Houston consulate in late July 2020

email address and website

chinaemppress_us@mfa.gov.cnhttp://www.china-embassy.org/eng/

FAX

[1] (202) 495-2138

telephone

[1] (202) 495-2266

cabinet

State Council appointed by National People's Congress

chief of state

President XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

election results

2023: XI Jinping reelected president; National People's Congress vote - 2,952 (unanimously); HAN Zhengelected vice president with 2,952 votes2018: XI Jinping reelected president; National People's Congress vote - 2,970 (unanimously); WANG Qishan elected vice president with 2,969 votes

elections/appointments

president and vice president indirectly elected by National People's Congress; election last held on 10 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2028); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress

head of government

Premier LI Qiang (since 11 March 2023)

note

note: ultimate authority rests with the Communist Party Central Committee’s 25-member Political Bureau (Politburo) and its seven-member Standing Committee; XI Jinping holds the three most powerful positions as party general secretary, state president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission

red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner; the color red represents revolution, while the stars symbolize the four social classes - the working class, the peasantry, the urban petty bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie (capitalists) - united under the Communist Party of China

in 2018, the Beijing established an investigatory National Supervisory Commission to oversee all state employees

communist party-led state

1 October 1949 (People's Republic of China established); notable earlier dates: 221 B.C. (unification under the Qin Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Qing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BRICS, CDB, CICA, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24 (observer), G-5, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

highest court(s)

Supreme People's Court (consists of over 340 judges, including the chief justice and 13 grand justices organized into a civil committee and tribunals for civil, economic, administrative, complaint and appeal, and communication and transportation cases)

judge selection and term of office

chief justice appointed by the People's National Congress (NPC); limited to 2 consecutive 5-year-terms; other justices and judges nominated by the chief justice and appointed by the Standing Committee of the NPC; term of other justices and judges determined by the NPC

subordinate courts

Higher People's Courts; Intermediate People's Courts; District and County People's Courts; Autonomous Region People's Courts; International Commercial Courts; Special People's Courts for military, maritime, transportation, and forestry issues

civil law influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; note - on 28 May 2020, the National People's Congress adopted the PRC Civil Code, which codifies personal relations and property relations

description

unicameral National People's Congress (NPC) or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (maximum of 3,000 seats; members indirectly elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses, and the People's Liberation Army; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats by party - NA; the 14th NPC consists of 2,977 delegates; 2,187 men, 790 women, percentage women 26.5%

elections

the 14th NPC convened on 5 March 2023; the 15th NPC will convene in March 2028

note

note: in practice, only members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), its 8 allied independent parties, and CCP-approved independent candidates are elected

lyrics/music

TIAN Han/NIE Er

name

"Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" (The March of the Volunteers)

note

note: adopted 1949; the anthem, though banned during the Cultural Revolution, is more commonly known as "Zhongguo Guoge" (Chinese National Song); it was originally the theme song to the 1935 Chinese movie, "Sons and Daughters in a Time of Storm"

selected World Heritage Site locales

Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (c); Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (c); The Great Wall (c); Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing (c); Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (n); Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (c); Ancient Ancient City of Ping Yao (c); Historic Center of Macau (c); Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth” (c); The Grand Canal (c); Mount Huangshan (m);Mogao Caves (c);Mount Taishan (m);Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian(c);Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (n);Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (n);Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (c);Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde (c);Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu (c);Lushan National Park (c);Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area (m); Classical Gardens of Suzhou (c);Old Town of Lijiang (c);Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing (c); Dazu Rock Carvings (c); Mount Wuyi (m); Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun (c);Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (c); Longmen Grottoes (c); Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (c); Yungang Grottoes (c); Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas (n); Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom (c);Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries - Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains (c);Yin Xu (c);Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (c);South China Karst (n);Fujian Tulou (c);Mount Sanqingshan National Park (n);Mount Wutai (c);China Danxia (n)West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou (c);Chengjiang Fossil Site (n);Site of Xanadu (c)Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces(c);Xinjiang Tianshan (n);Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c);Tusi Sites (c);Hubei Shennongjia (n);Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (c);Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement (c);Qinghai Hoh Xil (n);Fanjingshan (n);Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City (c);Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (n);Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China (c; )Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er (c); Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes (n); Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital(c)

total World Heritage Sites

59 (40 cultural, 15 natural, 4 mixed)

National Day (anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949)

dragon, giant panda; national colors: red, yellow

Chinese Communist Party or CCP 

note

note: China has 8 nominally independent small parties controlled by the CCP

18 years of age; universal

maize, rice, vegetables, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, cucumbers/gherkins, tomatoes, watermelons, pork (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on alcohol and tobacco

3% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

20.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

expenditures

$4.893 trillion (2019 est.)

revenues

$2.684 trillion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Fitch rating

A+ (2007)

Moody's rating

A1 (2017)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

A+ (2017)

Current account balance 2021

$352.886 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$443.374 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$252.987 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external 2022

$408.967 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

one of the world’s top two economies; sustained growth due to export relations, its manufacturing sector, and low-wage workers; only major economy to avoid COVID-19 economic decline; recovery efforts slowing due to longstanding poverty imbalances and other institutional issues; state-sponsored economic controls

Currency

Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

6.908 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

6.901 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

6.449 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

6.737 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

7.084 (2023 est.)

Exports 2021

$3.555 trillion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$3.719 trillion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$3.511 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

broadcasting equipment, integrated circuits, computers, garments, machine parts (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

US 15%, Hong Kong 7%, Japan 5%, Germany 4%, South Korea 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

19.7% (2023 est.)

government consumption

16.1% (2022 est.)

household consumption

37.4% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-17.6% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

41.9% (2022 est.)

investment in inventories

1.2% (2022 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

7.1% (2023 est.)

industry

38.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

54.6% (2023 est.)

$17.795 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

37.1 (2020 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

29.4% (2020 est.)

lowest 10%

3.1% (2020 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2021

$3.094 trillion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$3.142 trillion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$3.125 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

crude petroleum, integrated circuits, iron ore, natural gas, gold (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

US 7%, South Korea 7%, Japan 6%, Australia 6%, China 6% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

3.58% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

world leader in gross value of industrial output; mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizer; consumer products (including footwear, toys, and electronics); food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, railcars and locomotives, ships, aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

0.98% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

1.97% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

0.23% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

779.246 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

0% (2020 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

note

note: official data; data cover both central and local government debt, including debt officially recognized by China's National Audit Office report in 2011; data exclude policy bank bonds, Ministry of Railway debt, and China Asset Management Company debt

Public debt 2017

47% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$28.822 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$29.683 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$31.227 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

8.45% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.99% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$20,400 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$21,000 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$22,100 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.13% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.15% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.28% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$3.428 trillion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$3.307 trillion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$3.45 trillion (2023 est.)

7.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

4.55% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

4.98% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

4.67% (2023 est.)

female

14.2% (2023 est.)

male

16.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

15.7% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

11.059 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

716.939 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.729 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

13.506 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

5.313 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

12.925 million metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

313.937 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

4.827 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

143.197 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

8.54 trillion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

20.176 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

5.87 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.594 billion kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

327.874 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

biomass and waste

2.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

64.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

15.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

4.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

4.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

8.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

122.004 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

366.16 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

5.617 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

142.784 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

225.341 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

6.654 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

54.15GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

25 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

56 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

4.9% (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

26.023 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

15.148 million bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

4.984 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

34 (2020 est.)

total

483,549,500 (2020 est.)

all broadcast media are owned by, or affiliated with, the Chinese Communisty Party (CCP) or a government agency; no privately owned TV or radio stations; state-run Chinese Central TV, provincial, and municipal stations offer more than 2,000 channels; the Central Propaganda Department as well as local (provincial, municipal) sends directives to all domestic media outlets to guide its reporting with the government maintaining authority to approve all programming; foreign-made TV programs must be approved/censored prior to broadcast; increasingly, PRC nationals turn to online platforms (Bilibili, Tencent Video, iQiyi, etc) to access PRC and international films and television shows.  Video platforms have to abide by regulations issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), which align with censorship policies from CCP propaganda authorities. (2022)

.cn

percent of population

73% (2021 est.)

total

1.022 billion (2021 est.)

domestic

nearly 13 per 100 fixed line and 122 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)

general assessment

China has the largest Internet market in the world with almost all subscribers accessing Internet through mobile devices; market is driven through government-allied investment; fast-developing data center market; government aims to provide universal and affordable broadband coverage through market competition and private investment in state-controlled enterprises; 3G and LTE subscribers will migrate to 5G aiming for 2 million 5G base stations by the end of 2022; government strengthens IoT policies to boost economic growth; China is pushing development of smart cities beyond Beijing; Beijing residents carry virtual card integrating identity, social security, health, and education documents; government controls gateways to global Internet through censorship, surveillance, and shut-downs; major exporter of broadcasting equipment world-wide (2022)

international

country code - 86; landing points for the RJCN, EAC-C2C, TPE, APCN-2, APG, NCP, TEA, SeaMeWe-3, SJC2, Taiwan Strait Express-1, AAE-1, APCN-2, AAG, FEA, FLAG and TSE submarine cables providing connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat - Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

179.414 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

125 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

1.781 billion (2022 est.)

531 (2024)

B

104 (2024)

by type

bulk carrier 1,831, container ship 419, general cargo 1,392, oil tanker 1,196, other 3,476

total

8,314 (2023)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

611,439,830 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

436,183,969 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

2,890

number of registered air carriers

56 (2020)

76,000 km gas, 30,400 km crude oil, 27,700 km refined petroleum products, 797,000 km water (2018)

key ports

Chaozhou, Dalian, Fang-Cheng, Guangzhou, Hankow, Lon Shui Terminal, Qingdao Gang, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shekou, Tianjin Xin Gang, Weihai, Wenzhou, Xiamen

large

5

medium

9

ports with oil terminals

48

small

25

total ports

66 (2024)

very small

27

total

150,000 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge (100,000 km electrified); 104,0000 traditional, 40,000 high-speed

paved

4.578 million km (2020) (includes 168000 km of expressways)

total

5.2 million km (2020)

unpaved

622,000 km (2017)

seven of the world’s ten largest container ports are in China

27,700 km (2020) (navigable waterways)

established in 1927, the PLA is the military arm of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which oversees the PLA through its Central Military Commission; the Central Military Commission (CMC) is China’s top military decision making bodythe PLA is the world’s largest military; its primary responsibility is external security but it also has some domestic security duties; China’s stated defense policy includes safeguarding sovereignty, security, and development interests while emphasizing a greater global role for the PLA; the PLA conducts air, counterspace, cyber, electronic warfare, joint, land, maritime, missile, nuclear, and space operations; it trains regularly, including multinational and multiservice exercises, deploys overseas, and participates in international peacekeeping missions the PRC's internal security forces consist primarily of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and the militia; the PLA support the internal security forces as necessary:--the MPS controls the civilian national police, which serves as the first-line force for public order; its primary mission is domestic law enforcement and maintaining order, including anti-rioting and anti-terrorism--the MSS is the PRC’s main civilian intelligence and counterintelligence service--the PAP is a paramilitary component (or adjunct) of the PLA; its primary missions include internal security, maintaining public order, maritime security, and assisting the PLA in times of war; it is under the command of the CMC; the China Coast Guard (CCG) administratively falls under the PAP; the CCG has a variety of missions, such as maritime sovereignty enforcement, surveillance, resource protection, anti-smuggling, and general law enforcement; it is the largest maritime law enforcement fleet in the world--the militia is an armed reserve of civilians which serves as an auxiliary and reserve force for the PLA upon mobilization, although it is distinct from the PLA’s reserve forces; militia units are organized around towns, villages, urban sub-districts, and enterprises, and vary widely in composition and mission; they have dual civilian-military command structures; a key component of the militia are the local maritime forces, commonly referred to as the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM); the PAFMM consists of mariners (and their vessels) who receive training, equipment, and other forms of support from the Navy and CCG (although the PAFMM remains separate from both) to perform tasks such as maritime patrolling, surveillance and reconnaissance, emergency/disaster response, transportation, search and rescue, and auxiliary tasks in support of naval operations in wartime; the PAFMM’s tasks are often conducted in conjunction or coordination with the Navy and the CCG; it has been used to assert Beijing's maritime claims in the Sea of Japan and South China Sea (2023)

People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces or People's Liberation Army Army (PLAA), Navy (PLAN, includes Marine Corps (PLANMC)), Air Force (PLAAF), Rocket Force (PLARF), Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force, Information Support Force, Joint Logistics Support Force, People's Armed Police (PAP, includes Coast Guard, Border Defense Force, Internal Security Forces); PLA Reserve Force (2024)

note

note 1: the PAP is a paramilitary police component of China’s armed forces that is under the dual authority of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the Central Military Commission and charged with internal security, law enforcement, counterterrorism, and maritime rights protectionnote 2: in 2018, the Coast Guard was moved from the State Oceanic Administration to the PAP; in 2013, China merged four of its five major maritime law enforcement agencies – the China Marine Surveillance (CMS), Maritime Police, Fishery Law Enforcement (FLE), and Anti-Smuggling Police – into a unified coast guard

approximately 2 million active-duty troops (approximately 950,000-1 million Ground; 250,000 Navy, including about 50,000 Marines; 350-400,000 Air Force; 120,000 Rocket Forces; 150-175,000 other forces); approximately 500,000 People’s Armed Police (2024)

400 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,030 South Sudan (UNMISS); 150 Sudan/South Sudan (UNISFA); up to 2,000 Djibouti (2024)

the PLA has a mix of mostly modern domestically produced and imported weapons and equipment; most of its imported weaponry has come from Russia; China has one of the world's largest defense-industrial sectors and is capable of producing advanced weapons systems across all military domains (2024)

note

note: the PLA is in the midst of a decades-long modernization effort; in 2017, President XI set three developmental goals for the force - becoming a mechanized force with increased information and strategic capabilities by 2020, a fully modernized force by 2035, and a world-class military by mid-century

Military Expenditures 2019

1.7% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

18-22 years of age for men for selective compulsory military service, with a 2-year service obligation; women 18-19 years of age who are high school graduates and meet requirements for specific military jobs are subject to conscription (2024)

note

note: the PLA’s conscription system functions as a levy; the PLA establishes the number of enlistees needed, which produces quotas for the provinces; each province provides a set number of soldiers or sailors; if the number of volunteers fails to meet quotas, the local governments may compel individuals to enter military service

a major source of precursor chemicals for narcotics such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, new psychoactive substances (NPS), and synthetic drugs; is a destination and transit country for methamphetamine and heroin produced in South east and Southwest Asia;  China remains a major source of precursor chemicals sold in North America via the internet and shipped to overseas customers; domestic use of synthetic drugs is prevalent; chemical alterations of drugs circumvent laws and hamper efforts to stem the flow of these (2021)

IDPs

undetermined (2021)

refugees (country of origin)

303,107 (Vietnam), undetermined (North Korea) (mid-year 2021)

tier rating

Tier 3 — China does not fully meet the minimum standards for elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, China remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/china/

China National Space Administration (CNSA; established in 1993); Administration for Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND; subordinate to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology); People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Aerospace Force (in 2024, the PLA created the Aerospace Force from the former Strategic Support Force, which had included the Space Systems Department and the China Manned Space Engineering Office or CMSEO) (2024)

Jiuquan Launch Center (Inner Mongolia), Xichang Launch Center (Sichuan), Wenchang Launch Center (Hainan; Wenchang includes a commercial launch pad, the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, which became operational in December 2024), Taiyuan Launch Center (Shanxi), Eastern Spaceport (Shandong; a coastal spaceport designed to facilitate maritime launches); note - China also has a ship capable of conducting space launches (2024)

has a large, comprehensive, and ambitious space program and is considered one of the World’s leading space powers; capable of manufacturing and operating the full spectrum of space launch vehicles (SLVs) and spacecraft, including human crewed, satellite launchers, lunar/inter-planetary/asteroid probes, satellites (communications, remote sensing, navigational, scientific, etc.), space stations, and re-usable space transportation systems, such as orbital space planes/shuttles; trains astronauts (taikonauts); researches and develops a range of other space-related capabilities, including advanced telecommunications, optics, spacecraft components, satellite payloads, etc.; participates in international space programs, such as the Square Kilometer Array Project radio telescope project and co-leads (with Australian and Japan) the Global Earth Observation System of Systems; has signed space cooperation agreements with more than 30 countries, including Brazil, Canada, France, and Russia, as well as the European Space Agency (note – the US NASA is barred by a 2011 law from cooperating with the Chinese bilaterally in space unless approved by the US Congress; the US also objected to China’s participation in the International Space Station program); has a space industry dominated by two state-owned aerospace enterprises but since announcing in 2014 that it would allow private investment into the traditionally state-dominated space industry has developed a substantial commercial space sector, including space launch services (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

carbon dioxide emissions

9,893.04 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

1,490.24 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

38.15 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain; China is the world's largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; coastal destruction due to land reclamation, industrial development, and aquaculture; deforestation and habitat destruction; poor land management leads to soil erosion, landslides, floods, droughts, dust storms, and desertification; trade in endangered species

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

global geoparks and regional networks

Alxa; Arxan; Dali-Cangshan; Danxiashan; Dunhuang; Enshi Grand Canyon-Tenglongdong; Fangshan; Funiushan; Guangwushan-Noushuihe; Hexigten; Hong Kong; Huanggang Dabieshan; Huangshan; Jingpohu; Jiuhuashan; Keketuohai; Leiqiong; Leye Fengshan; Linxia; Longhushan; Longyan; Lushan; Mount Changbaishan; Mount Kunlun; Ningde; Qinling Zhongnanshan; Sanqingshan; Shennongjia; Shilin; Songshan; Taining; Taishan; Tianzhushan; Wangwushan-Daimeishan; Wudalianchi; Wugongshan; Xiangxi; Xingwen; Yingyi; Yandangshan; Yanqing; Yimengshan; Yuntaishan; Zhangjlajle; Zhangye; Zhijingdong Cave; Zigong (2024)

total global geoparks and regional networks

47 (2024)

agricultural land

54.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 41.8% (2018 est.)

forest

22.3% (2018 est.)

other

23% (2018 est.)

North China Aquifer System (Huang Huai Hai Plain), Song-Liao Plain, Tarim Basin

fresh water lake(s)

Dongting Hu - 3,100 sq km; Poyang Hu - 3,350 sq km; Hongze Hu - 2,700 sq km; Tai Hu - 2,210 sq km; Hulun Nur - 1,590

salt water lake(s)

Quinghai Hu - 4,460 sq km; Nam Co - 2,500 sq km; Siling Co - 1,860 sq km; Tangra Yumco - 1,400 sq km; Bosten Hu 1,380 sq km

Yangtze - 6,300 km; Huang He - 5,464 km; Amur river source (shared with Mongolia and Russia [m]) - 4,444 km; Lancang Jiang (Mekong) river source (shared with Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km; Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (Brahmaputra) river source (shared with India and Bangladesh [m]) - 3,969 km; Yin-tu Ho (Indus) river source (shared with India and Pakistan [m]) - 3,610 km; Nu Jiang (Salween) river source (shared with Thailand and Burma [m]) - 3,060 km; Irrawaddy river source (shared with Burma [m]) - 2,809 km; Zhu Jiang (Pearl) (shared with Vietnam [s]) - 2,200 km; Yuan Jiang (Red river) source (shared with Vietnam [m]) - 1,149 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Pacific Ocean drainage: Amur (1,929,955 sq km), Huang He (944,970 sq km), Mekong (805,604 sq km), Yangtze (1,722,193 sq km)Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km), Salween (271,914 sq km)Arctic Ocean drainage: Ob (2,972,493 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km), Lake Balkash (510,015 sq km)

0.57% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.08% of GDP (2018 est.)

2.84 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

361.24 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

103.04 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

117.01 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

note

note: data do not include Hong Kong and Macau

rate of urbanization

1.78% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

64.6% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

210 million tons (2015 est.)