China
🇨🇳 Eastern Asia · People's Republic of China
How China ranks globally
About China
China (officially People's Republic of China) is a country in Eastern Asia, with Beijing as its capital. It is home to roughly 1.41 billion people, giving a population density of about 145 people per square kilometre. The country covers 9,706,961 km² of land and shares land borders with 16 neighbouring countries. Its economy is valued at approximately $19.5T in nominal GDP (2025), and it records a Human Development Index of 0.797. The official currency is the Chinese yuan (CNY), and the main language is Chinese.
Key indicators
💹 Economy
👥 People
🌍 Quality of Life
GDP over time
How China measures up
How China is governed
Head of state; in practice held together with the Party leadership.
Heads the State Council (government); manages the economy and administration.
Unicameral — National People's Congress — ~2,900 delegates
Who holds the power?
China is a one-party state led by the Communist Party of China (CPC). Formal state institutions — the presidency, the Premier and the National People's Congress — operate under the direction of the Party. Ultimate power rests with the Party's General Secretary, who typically also holds the state presidency and chairs the Central Military Commission, concentrating Party, state and military authority in one person. The National People's Congress is the constitutional legislature but functions largely to ratify Party decisions rather than to check them.
Did you know?
China shares land borders with 14 countries — more than almost any other nation.
Despite spanning a huge distance east to west, all of China officially uses a single time zone.
China was the world's most populous country for most of modern history, until India recently overtook it.
China is the 2nd most populous country in the world, with about 1.41 billion people.
By land area it is the 3rd-largest country in the world, covering 9,706,961 km².
It has the world's 2nd-largest economy by nominal GDP ($19.5T).
China shares land borders with 16 countries.
Quick quiz — do you know China?
What is the capital of China?
Travel & practical
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Neighbouring countries
More countries in Asia
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