China vs Ethiopia: population comparison
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
Current population of Ethiopia
139,287,321
Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures
- Births today
- 2,430
- Deaths today
- 454
- Change today (UTC)
- +1,970
China has a population of 1,406,585,000 and Ethiopia has 135,472,051 (2025 estimates). China is currently larger by 1,271,112,949 people — about 10 times Ethiopia's population. They rank 2 and 10 in the world respectively.
Their trajectories differ: Ethiopia grows at +2.55% per year versus −0.17% for China. One population is expanding while the other shrinks — the gap between them widens every year.
Beyond size, the structures differ: Ethiopia is the younger society (median age 19.1 vs 40.1); China is far more crowded at 150 people per km² against 114.
China vs Ethiopia population, 1960–2025
Side by side
| Indicator | China | Ethiopia |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,406,585,000 | 135,472,051 |
| Annual growth | −0.17% | +2.55% |
| Yearly change | −2,390,000 | +3,412,284 |
| Density (P/km²) | 150 | 114 |
| Land area (km²) | 9,388,210 | 1,128,499 |
| Median age | 40.1 yrs | 19.1 yrs |
| Fertility rate | 1.01 | 3.91 |
| Life expectancy | 78.0 yrs | 67.6 yrs |
| Urban population | 66% | 24% |
| World share | 17.12% | 1.65% |
| 2050 projection (UN) | 1,260,289,093 | 225,021,874 |
Latest World Bank estimates; median age and 2050 projections from UN WPP 2024. Full profiles: China · Ethiopia
China vs Ethiopia FAQ
Is China bigger than Ethiopia by population?
China currently has the larger population: 1,406,585,000 versus 135,472,051 (2025 estimates) — a gap of 1.27 billion people.
Which grows faster, China or Ethiopia?
Ethiopia currently grows faster: +2.55% per year versus −0.17%.
How do China and Ethiopia compare in 2050?
UN medium-variant projections put China at 1,260,289,093 and Ethiopia at 225,021,874 in 2050.