Updated
Overview
China has 53 times the population of North Korea: 1.41 billion people against 26.57 million (2025).
Population
The full table
| Indicator | China | North Korea | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $19.50T | — | 2025 | $18.74T / — |
| GDP per capita | $13,862 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 5.0% | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 0.1% | — | 2025 | 0.2% / — |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | Lower: 3.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 47 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $807 | — | 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $268 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.91 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 1.41 billion | 26.57 million | 2025 | 1.41 billion / 26.40 million |
| Population growth | -0.2% | 0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.1 yrs | 36.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.02 | 1.77 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 78.0 yrs | 73.7 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 66% | 64% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 92% | 0% | 2025 / 2004 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 9,596,960 km² | 120,538 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 146.6/km² | 220.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 12,289 Mt | Lower: 63 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 8.7 t | Lower: 2.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $313.66B | $1.60B | 2024 / 2018 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.7% | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 2.5 million | 1.5 million | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
People and society
North Korea is the younger society: median age 36.5 versus 40.1 years.
Life expectancy is 4.3 years longer in China (78.0 vs 73.7).
Internet adoption is higher in China (92% vs 0% of the population).
Geography
By land area, China is 80 times the size of North Korea: 9,596,960 km² versus 120,538 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
China spends 195 times as much on defence as North Korea: $313.66B versus $1.60B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
China fields the larger armed forces: 2.5 million personnel against 1.5 million (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is China bigger than North Korea?
- China is larger by land area. China covers 9,596,960 km² while North Korea covers 120,538 km², so China is 80 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, China or North Korea?
- China has the larger population: 1.41 billion versus 26.57 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Who spends more on their military, China or North Korea?
- China spends more: $313.66B versus $1.60B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).