China vs India: Population Comparison 2026
China
IndiaIn the UN projection for 1 July 2026, India has 63,711,489 more people than China (4.5% more): 1.48 billion vs 1.41 billion. Median age is 40.6 in China and 29.2 in India; fertility is 1.03 vs 1.93 children per woman.
By the UN's current estimates (World Population Prospects 2024), India passed China in mid-2022. China had the largest population in every year from 1950, when UN estimates begin, until then. The UN had first dated the change to April 2023, based on its 2022 revision.
Key demographic metrics, 2026
China
2026- Median age
- 40.6
- Fertility (TFR)
- 1.03
- Working age (15–64)
- 70.1%
- Trend
- Declining (−0.22%)
India
2026- Median age
- 29.2
- Fertility (TFR)
- 1.93
- Working age (15–64)
- 68.6%
- Trend
- Growing (+0.87%)
Population pyramids, 2026
Total Population
China
1412.9M
India
1476.6M
Youth (0-14)
China
14.8%
India
23.8%
Elderly (65+)
China
15.1%
India
7.6%
Where the two pyramids differ
The pyramids are overlaid so you can read the difference by age and sex: the longer bar in each band marks the country with more people of that age.
📊 Understanding the Population Difference Chart
This visualization shows where and by how much the populations differ between China and India for each age group, split by gender:
Left Side (Males)
Blue = China has more males
Green = India has more males
Right Side (Females)
Pink = China has more females
Orange = India has more females
💡 How to Read: Each age group shows up to 2 bars - one on the left (male difference) and one on the right (female difference). The bar's color tells you which country has more people, and the bar's length shows by how much. For example, if you see a green bar on the left, it means India has more males in that age group.
Largest differences (more than 20%):
Demographic comparison, 2026
| Indicator | China | India | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2026) | 1,412,914,088 | 1,476,625,577 | India has 63.7 million more (+4.5%) |
| Change 2025–2026 | −0.2% (Declining) | +0.9% (Growing) | |
| Median age (2026) | 40.6 | 29.2 | China older by 11.4 yrs |
| Total fertility rate | 1.03 — 1.07 below replacement | 1.93 — 0.17 below replacement | |
| Fertility rate, 2030 (UN projection) | 1.06 | 1.88 | |
| Birth rate (per 1,000) | 6.1 | 15.6 | |
| Population 2050 (UN projection) | 1.26 billion (−10.8%) | 1.68 billion (+13.7%) | |
| Peak population | Peaked in 2021 | Projected to peak in 2061 |
Differences by age group, 2026
| Age | China (M / F) | India (M / F) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 23622K / 21432K | 58378K / 54463K | India has 150.5% more people aged 0-4 |
| 5-9 | 39076K / 34560K | 60517K / 55819K | India has 58.0% more people aged 5-9 |
| 10-14 | 48504K / 41971K | 63758K / 58281K | India has 34.9% more people aged 10-14 |
| 15-19 | 46340K / 39578K | 66102K / 60111K | India has 46.9% more people aged 15-19 |
| 20-24 | 42415K / 36142K | 67578K / 61386K | India has 64.2% more people aged 20-24 |
| 25-29 | 43779K / 37771K | 66396K / 60183K | India has 55.2% more people aged 25-29 |
| 30-34 | 49168K / 43509K | 63104K / 57719K | India has 30.4% more people aged 30-34 |
| 35-39 | 63689K / 58292K | 59420K / 55047K | China has 6.6% more people aged 35-39 |
| 40-44 | 54302K / 51171K | 54063K / 50290K | China has 1.1% more people aged 40-44 |
| 45-49 | 47164K / 45301K | 46666K / 43954K | China has 2.0% more people aged 45-49 |
| 50-54 | 55143K / 54078K | 40161K / 38637K | China has 38.6% more people aged 50-54 |
| 55-59 | 59034K / 59415K | 33664K / 33056K | China has 77.5% more people aged 55-59 |
| 60-64 | 50868K / 52813K | 27760K / 27753K | China has 86.8% more people aged 60-64 |
| 65-69 | 31394K / 34434K | 21789K / 22369K | China has 49.1% more people aged 65-69 |
| 70-74 | 30704K / 36375K | 15488K / 16644K | China has 108.8% more people aged 70-74 |
| 75-79 | 18688K / 23697K | 8977K / 10235K | China has 120.6% more people aged 75-79 |
| 80-84 | 9335K / 13004K | 4463K / 5557K | China has 122.9% more people aged 80-84 |
| 85-89 | 4220K / 7092K | 2010K / 2772K | China has 136.5% more people aged 85-89 |
| 90-94 | 1221K / 2877K | 667K / 993K | China has 146.8% more people aged 90-94 |
| 95-99 | 138K / 546K | 141K / 210K | China has 95.1% more people aged 95-99 |
| 100+ | 4K / 48K | 17K / 26K | China has 23.2% more people aged 100+ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has more people, China or India?
India has more: 1.48 billion vs 1.41 billion in 2026 — 4.5% more, 63.7 million more people.
Which country is older?
China, with a median age of 40.6 vs 29.2 in India (2026).
Which has higher fertility?
India, at 1.93 children per woman vs 1.03 in China. Replacement is 2.1, so both are below it.
How will China and India compare in 2050?
By 2050 the UN projects China at 1.26 billion (−10.8% from 2026) and India at 1.68 billion (+13.7%).
Are China and India growing or shrinking?
China is declining (−0.2% in 2026); India is growing (+0.9%).
When did India pass China?
By the UN's current estimates (World Population Prospects 2024), India passed China in mid-2022. China had the largest population in every year from 1950, when UN estimates begin, until then. The UN had first dated the change to April 2023, based on its 2022 revision.
