China vs Italy
Every indicator for China and Italy side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | China | Italy | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 1,406,585,000 | 58,915,656 | +2,287.5% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 19,498 | 2,552 | +664.0% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 13,862 | 43,309 | −68.0% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 84.0 | — |
| Area (km²) | 9,562,910 | 302,070 | +3,065.8% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 147 | 195 | −24.6% |
| Median age (years) | 39.6 | 48.4 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 91.6 | 89.2 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 4.6 | 6.4 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 0.1 | 1.5 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 66.3 | 69.7 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 313,658 | 37,965 | +726.2% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 1.71 | 1.61 | +6.2% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 5.06 | 3.18 | +59.1% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 223 | 644 | −65.4% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 2,535,000 | 338,000 | +650.0% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 1.8 | 5.7 | −68.6% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.33 | 1.35 | −75.6% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of China relative to Italy; a positive value favors China. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
At a glance
China is higher on 7 of the 12 indicators, while Italy leads on the remaining 5. The widest separation is in area, about 32 times; they are closest on military expenditure as a share of gdp.
Key differences
- Area shows the widest gap of all: China stands at 9,562,910 against Italy's 302,070 — roughly 32 times as much.
- Population (2025) shows the widest gap of all: China stands at 1,406,585,000 against Italy's 58,915,656 — roughly 24 times as much.
- China's military expenditure (2024) (313,658) is about 8.3 times Italy's (37,965).
- China's gdp (nominal) (19,498) is about 7.6 times Italy's (2,552).
- China's armed forces personnel (2020) (2,535,000) is about 7.5 times Italy's (338,000).
Frequently asked questions
Where do China and Italy differ most?
In area. China records 9,562,910 against Italy's 302,070 — a ratio of roughly 32 to one.
Where are China and Italy most alike?
In military expenditure as a share of gdp, at 1.71 and 1.61 — a gap of only %6.2.
On how many indicators is China ahead of Italy?
China is higher on 7 of the 12 ratio-scale indicators and Italy on 5. A higher number is not automatically better, though — population density, for instance, is a characteristic rather than an advantage.
ChinaItaly
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 Italy.
China profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Italy profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI