China vs United States: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 110 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

In comparing China and the United States, the United States leads in GDP with $32.95 trillion compared to China's $20.73 trillion. However, China has a larger population of 1.41 billion compared to the United States' 349.13 million.

Economy

The United States boasts a higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $32.95 trillion, surpassing China's $20.73 trillion. In contrast, China excels in Agriculture Value Added with $1.79 trillion compared to the United States' $350.60 billion.

People and Society

  • China has a higher percentage of currently married individuals at 66.52% versus the United States' 51.38%.
  • The United States has a higher Life Expectancy at birth of 83.22 years compared to China's 81.19 years.

Environment

  • The United States has a greater Above-Ground Biomass in Forest with 94.67 tonnes/ha compared to China's 64.72 tonnes/ha.
  • China has a larger Percentage of Land Area by Degree of Urbanization at 6.74% compared to the United States' 2.11%.

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇨🇳 China🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)90.6 %93.14 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 78% (2023 est.)percent of population: 93% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score14.8 points65.49 points
Radios417575
Televisions400219
Waterways27,70041,009

Economy

45 metrics
Metric🇨🇳 China🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.79T $350.60B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars20.73T $32.95T $
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)2.25 %0.5 %
Coal Revenue0.570.2
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.35 %4.1 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.4 % of GDP16.9 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index77.992
Electricity Consumption5.563.9
Electricity Exports18.919.7
Electricity from Fossil Fuels6270
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants187
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels29
Electricity from Other Renewables1814
Electricity Imports6.1972.72
Electricity Installed Capacity1.651.09
Electricity Production5.884.1
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)113.81 USD per capita278.47 USD per capita
Gini Index Coefficient35.741.8
Gross Fixed Investment45.912.9
Gross National Saving45.818.9
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)5.3 %3.25 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)0.2 %2.9 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.5 % of GDP3.2 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption238.6767.6
Natural Gas Exports3.3789.7
Natural Gas Imports97.6386.15
Natural Gas Production145.9772.8
Natural Gas Proved Reserves5.440
Oil Consumption9.1919.15
Oil Exports480,6001.92
Oil Imports4.7510.27
Oil Production4.279.69
Oil Proved Reserves20.3520.68
Population Below Poverty Line0.6 people15.1 people
Public Debt47114.8
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5 USD2.8 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption12.4719.96
Refined Petroleum Products Exports848,4005.22
Refined Petroleum Products Imports1.162.18
Refined Petroleum Products Production11.5120.3
Remittances0.20
Revenue from Forest Resources0.080.04
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)01.25
Taxes and Other Revenues7.610.6
Unemployment Rate4.6 %4.2 %

Environment

5 metrics
Metric🇨🇳 China🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)117.03M-14.29M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions12.24.8
Population Distributionoverwhelming 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 large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western-tier states; mountainous areas such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, deserts in the southwest
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country828.8 Cubic meters per year1,383 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources2.843.07

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇨🇳 China🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization6.74 %2.11 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)64.7294.67
Agricultural land5.19M sq. km4.17M sq. km
Coastline Length (km)14,500 km19,924 km
Dam capacity per capita566.97 cubic meters per inhabitant2,113 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land690,070234,782

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇨🇳 China🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Rule of Law Index by Country59.71 %88.3 %
Administrative Divisions2350
Independence14
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

8 metrics
Metric🇨🇳 China🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)11.913.7
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.4 % of GDP16.6 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNANA
Hospital Bed Density5 people/sq km2.7 people/sq km
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)16 %17 %
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)6.2 %36.2 %
People Living With HIV/AIDSNANA
Underweight Children Under 52.40.4

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇨🇳 China🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)2.54M1.40M

People and Society

30 metrics
Metric🇨🇳 China🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Currently married (Percent)66.52 %51.38 %
Human Capital Index0.670.72
Life expectancy at birth81.19 years83.22 years
Median age of population40.64 years38.79 years
Population Change-4.42M persons2.26M persons
Population density147.29 per sq. km38.15 per sq. km
Total population1.41B persons349.13M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.070.4
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA-AC
Birth Rate (%)7.28 %10.75 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate84.5 %73.9 %
Death Rate (%)7.97 %8.76 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4 % of GDP5.4 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age308.96M persons78.56M persons
Labor Force Participation Rate773.88174.17
Learning-adjusted years of school8.55 years11.07 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days183.4 days
Major Urban Areas Population29.21 people18.94 people
Mean Male Height (cm)171.83177.13
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1817
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization83.73 %74.52 %
Physician Density3.11 people/sq km3.68 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.08 %0.45 %
Population living in slums26.32 %0.05 %
Total deaths12.15M persons2.87M persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)70.06 %65.73 %
Total fertility rate0.97 per woman1.61 per woman
Total net-migration-306,257.4 persons1.49M persons
Under-five mortality rate7.94 per live births5.52 per live births

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇨🇳 China🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.462.06
Airports55216,116
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)03
Civil Air Travel2848,252
Heliports1208,130

Related comparisons