China vs Nigeria: 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 Nigeria
242,935,504
Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures
- Births today
- 4,400
- Deaths today
- 1,576
- Change today (UTC)
- +2,793
China has a population of 1,406,585,000 and Nigeria has 237,527,782 (2025 estimates). China is currently larger by 1,169,057,218 people — about 6 times Nigeria's population. They rank 2 and 6 in the world respectively.
Their trajectories differ: Nigeria grows at +2.06% 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: Nigeria is the younger society (median age 18.1 vs 40.1); Nigeria is far more crowded at 250 people per km² against 150.
China vs Nigeria population, 1960–2025
Side by side
| Indicator | China | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,406,585,000 | 237,527,782 |
| Annual growth | −0.17% | +2.06% |
| Yearly change | −2,390,000 | +4,848,304 |
| Density (P/km²) | 150 | 250 |
| Land area (km²) | 9,388,210 | 910,770 |
| Median age | 40.1 yrs | 18.1 yrs |
| Fertility rate | 1.01 | 4.38 |
| Life expectancy | 78.0 yrs | 54.6 yrs |
| Urban population | 66% | 64% |
| World share | 17.12% | 2.89% |
| 2050 projection (UN) | 1,260,289,093 | 359,185,556 |
Latest World Bank estimates; median age and 2050 projections from UN WPP 2024. Full profiles: China · Nigeria
China vs Nigeria FAQ
Is China bigger than Nigeria by population?
China currently has the larger population: 1,406,585,000 versus 237,527,782 (2025 estimates) — a gap of 1.17 billion people.
Which grows faster, China or Nigeria?
Nigeria currently grows faster: +2.06% per year versus −0.17%.
How do China and Nigeria compare in 2050?
UN medium-variant projections put China at 1,260,289,093 and Nigeria at 359,185,556 in 2050.