PopulationTracker

India vs China: population comparison

Current population of India

1,478,202,939

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
13,338
Deaths today
5,497
Change today (UTC)
+7,404

Current population of China

1,403,948,354

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
5,429
Deaths today
6,223
Change today (UTC)
−1,361

India has a population of 1,463,865,525 and China has 1,406,585,000 (2025 estimates). India is currently larger by 57,280,525 people — a nearly even match. They rank 1 and 2 in the world respectively.

Their trajectories differ: India grows at +0.89% per year versus −0.17% for China. One population is expanding while the other shrinks — the gap between them widens every year.

The lead has changed hands: India overtook China in 2021, according to the historical series.

Beyond size, the structures differ: India is the younger society (median age 28.8 vs 40.1); India is far more crowded at 484 people per km² against 150.

India vs China population, 1960–2025

IndiaChina
0300M600M900M1.2B1.5B19601970198019902000201020202025: 1.41B2025: 1.46B1960: 435,990,3381961: 446,564,7291962: 457,283,0901963: 468,138,5751964: 479,229,5981965: 490,140,1461966: 500,740,2471967: 511,606,3721968: 522,716,8891969: 533,880,5441970: 545,864,2681971: 558,096,3871972: 570,482,1421973: 583,465,5981974: 597,041,3911975: 611,309,5351976: 625,861,8831977: 640,801,1031978: 655,728,2291979: 671,155,7471980: 687,354,0251981: 703,696,2501982: 720,313,4731983: 737,372,6811984: 754,875,4491985: 772,647,7931986: 790,689,9781987: 808,931,2701988: 827,342,9901989: 846,039,5291990: 864,972,2211991: 883,927,6001992: 902,957,0701993: 922,118,3871994: 941,163,7671995: 960,301,0441996: 979,678,4581997: 999,133,7621998: 1,018,665,0801999: 1,038,225,8232000: 1,057,922,7332001: 1,077,898,5752002: 1,097,600,3802003: 1,116,803,0062004: 1,135,991,5132005: 1,154,676,3222006: 1,172,878,8902007: 1,190,676,0212008: 1,207,930,9642009: 1,225,524,7532010: 1,243,481,5642011: 1,261,224,9542012: 1,278,674,5022013: 1,295,829,5112014: 1,312,277,1912015: 1,328,024,4982016: 1,343,944,2962017: 1,359,657,4002018: 1,374,659,0642019: 1,389,030,3122020: 1,402,617,6952021: 1,414,203,8962022: 1,425,423,2122023: 1,438,069,5962024: 1,450,935,7912025: 1,463,865,5251960: 667,070,0001961: 660,330,0001962: 665,770,0001963: 682,335,0001964: 698,355,0001965: 715,185,0001966: 735,400,0001967: 754,550,0001968: 774,510,0001969: 796,025,0001970: 818,315,0001971: 841,105,0001972: 862,030,0001973: 881,940,0001974: 900,350,0001975: 916,395,0001976: 930,685,0001977: 943,455,0001978: 956,165,0001979: 969,005,0001980: 981,235,0001981: 993,885,0001982: 1,008,630,0001983: 1,023,310,0001984: 1,036,825,0001985: 1,051,040,0001986: 1,066,790,0001987: 1,084,035,0001988: 1,101,630,0001989: 1,118,650,0001990: 1,135,185,0001991: 1,150,780,0001992: 1,164,970,0001993: 1,178,440,0001994: 1,191,835,0001995: 1,204,855,0001996: 1,217,550,0001997: 1,230,075,0001998: 1,241,935,0001999: 1,252,735,0002000: 1,262,645,0002001: 1,271,850,0002002: 1,280,400,0002003: 1,288,400,0002004: 1,296,075,0002005: 1,303,720,0002006: 1,311,020,0002007: 1,317,885,0002008: 1,324,655,0002009: 1,331,260,0002010: 1,337,705,0002011: 1,345,035,0002012: 1,354,190,0002013: 1,363,240,0002014: 1,371,860,0002015: 1,379,860,0002016: 1,387,790,0002017: 1,396,215,0002018: 1,402,760,0002019: 1,407,745,0002020: 1,411,100,0002021: 1,412,360,0002022: 1,412,175,0002023: 1,410,710,0002024: 1,408,975,0002025: 1,406,585,000

Side by side

India and China compared across demographic indicators
IndicatorIndiaChina
Population1,463,865,5251,406,585,000
Annual growth+0.89%−0.17%
Yearly change+12,929,734−2,390,000
Density (P/km²)484150
Land area (km²)2,973,1909,388,210
Median age28.8 yrs40.1 yrs
Fertility rate1.961.01
Life expectancy72.2 yrs78.0 yrs
Urban population36%66%
World share17.82%17.12%
2050 projection (UN)1,679,589,2591,260,289,093

Latest World Bank estimates; median age and 2050 projections from UN WPP 2024. Full profiles: India · China

India vs China FAQ

Is India bigger than China by population?

India currently has the larger population: 1,463,865,525 versus 1,406,585,000 (2025 estimates) — a gap of 57.28 million people.

When did India overtake China in population?

India passed China in 2021, based on the countries' official population series.

Which grows faster, India or China?

India currently grows faster: +0.89% per year versus −0.17%.

How do India and China compare in 2050?

UN medium-variant projections put India at 1,679,589,259 and China at 1,260,289,093 in 2050.

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