China vs South Korea
Every indicator for China and South Korea side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | China | South Korea | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 1,406,585,000 | 51,684,564 | +2,621.5% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 19,498 | 1,872 | +941.6% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 13,862 | 36,227 | −61.7% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 83.6 | — |
| Area (km²) | 9,562,910 | 100,450 | +9,420.1% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 147 | 515 | −71.4% |
| Median age (years) | 39.6 | 45.5 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 91.6 | 97.9 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 4.6 | 2.7 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 0.1 | 2.1 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 66.3 | 81.2 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 313,658 | 47,571 | +559.3% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 1.71 | 2.56 | −33.2% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 5.06 | 11.32 | −55.3% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 223 | 920 | −75.8% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 2,535,000 | 569,000 | +345.5% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 1.8 | 11.0 | −83.6% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.33 | 2.01 | −83.6% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of China relative to South Korea; a positive value favors China. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), China is 2,621.5% higher than South Korea.
- On gdp (nominal), China is 941.6% higher than South Korea.
- On gdp per capita, China is 61.7% lower than South Korea.
ChinaSouth Korea
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
Other comparisons involving China or South Korea.
China profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
South Korea profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI