China vs South Korea: Population Comparison 2026
China
South KoreaChina has 1,361,313,700 more people than South Korea (27.4× as many): 1.41 billion vs 51.6 million in 2026. Median age is 40.6 in China and 46.2 in South Korea; fertility is 1.03 vs 0.76 children per woman.
China
20260
people
- Median age
- 40.6
- Fertility (TFR)
- 1.03
- Working age (15–64)
- 70.1%
- Trend
- Declining (-0.22%)
South Korea
20260
people
- Median age
- 46.2
- Fertility (TFR)
- 0.76
- Working age (15–64)
- 68.7%
- Trend
- Declining (-0.13%)
Population pyramids, 2026
Total Population
China
1412.9M
vs
South Korea
51.6M
Youth (0-14)
China
14.8%
vs
South Korea
9.8%
Elderly (65+)
China
15.1%
vs
South Korea
21.4%
Where the two pyramids differ
The pyramids are overlaid so you can read the difference by age and sex: the longer bar in each band marks the country with more people of that age.
📊 Understanding the Population Difference Chart
This visualization shows where and by how much the populations differ between China and South Korea for each age group, split by gender:
Left Side (Males)
Blue = China has more males
Green = South Korea has more males
Right Side (Females)
Pink = China has more females
Orange = South Korea has more females
💡 How to Read: Each age group shows up to 2 bars - one on the left (male difference) and one on the right (female difference). The bar's color tells you which country has more people, and the bar's length shows by how much. For example, if you see a green bar on the left, it means South Korea has more males in that age group.
Notable Differences (>20% variance):
Ages 0-4: China has 3538.1% more people
Men: 23.0M more in China • Women: 20.8M more in China
China: 23.6M men, 21.4M women • South Korea: 635K men, 603K women
Population Ratio
45.1M
1.2M
Ages 5-9: China has 4510.4% more people
Men: 38.3M more in China • Women: 33.8M more in China
China: 39.1M men, 34.6M women • South Korea: 818K men, 779K women
Population Ratio
73.6M
1.6M
Ages 10-14: China has 3956.5% more people
Men: 47.4M more in China • Women: 40.9M more in China
China: 48.5M men, 42.0M women • South Korea: 1.1M men, 1.1M women
Population Ratio
90.5M
2.2M
Ages 15-19: China has 3569.4% more people
Men: 45.1M more in China • Women: 38.4M more in China
China: 46.3M men, 39.6M women • South Korea: 1.2M men, 1.1M women
Population Ratio
85.9M
2.3M
Ages 20-24: China has 2934.2% more people
Men: 41.1M more in China • Women: 34.9M more in China
China: 42.4M men, 36.1M women • South Korea: 1.3M men, 1.2M women
Population Ratio
78.6M
2.6M
Ages 25-29: China has 2335.2% more people
Men: 42.0M more in China • Women: 36.2M more in China
China: 43.8M men, 37.8M women • South Korea: 1.8M men, 1.6M women
Population Ratio
81.5M
3.3M
Ages 30-34: China has 2429.2% more people
Men: 47.2M more in China • Women: 41.8M more in China
China: 49.2M men, 43.5M women • South Korea: 2.0M men, 1.7M women
Population Ratio
92.7M
3.7M
Ages 35-39: China has 3577.9% more people
Men: 61.9M more in China • Women: 56.7M more in China
China: 63.7M men, 58.3M women • South Korea: 1.8M men, 1.6M women
Population Ratio
122.0M
3.3M
Ages 40-44: China has 2776.6% more people
Men: 52.4M more in China • Women: 49.4M more in China
China: 54.3M men, 51.2M women • South Korea: 1.9M men, 1.8M women
Population Ratio
105.5M
3.7M
Ages 45-49: China has 2249.3% more people
Men: 45.2M more in China • Women: 43.4M more in China
China: 47.2M men, 45.3M women • South Korea: 2.0M men, 1.9M women
Population Ratio
92.5M
3.9M
Ages 50-54: China has 2515.7% more people
Men: 53.0M more in China • Women: 52.0M more in China
China: 55.1M men, 54.1M women • South Korea: 2.1M men, 2.1M women
Population Ratio
109.2M
4.2M
Ages 55-59: China has 2605.4% more people
Men: 56.8M more in China • Women: 57.2M more in China
China: 59.0M men, 59.4M women • South Korea: 2.2M men, 2.2M women
Population Ratio
118.4M
4.4M
Ages 60-64: China has 2454.8% more people
Men: 48.8M more in China • Women: 50.8M more in China
China: 50.9M men, 52.8M women • South Korea: 2.0M men, 2.0M women
Population Ratio
103.7M
4.1M
Ages 65-69: China has 1599.5% more people
Men: 29.5M more in China • Women: 32.4M more in China
China: 31.4M men, 34.4M women • South Korea: 1.9M men, 2.0M women
Population Ratio
65.8M
3.9M
Ages 70-74: China has 2365.8% more people
Men: 29.4M more in China • Women: 34.9M more in China
China: 30.7M men, 36.4M women • South Korea: 1.3M men, 1.4M women
Population Ratio
67.1M
2.7M
Ages 75-79: China has 2179.0% more people
Men: 17.9M more in China • Women: 22.7M more in China
China: 18.7M men, 23.7M women • South Korea: 835K men, 1.0M women
Population Ratio
42.4M
1.9M
Ages 80-84: China has 1598.5% more people
Men: 8.8M more in China • Women: 12.2M more in China
China: 9.3M men, 13.0M women • South Korea: 529K men, 786K women
Population Ratio
22.3M
1.3M
Ages 85-89: China has 1254.8% more people
Men: 3.9M more in China • Women: 6.5M more in China
China: 4.2M men, 7.1M women • South Korea: 276K men, 559K women
Population Ratio
11.3M
835K
Ages 90-94: China has 1062.7% more people
Men: 1.1M more in China • Women: 2.6M more in China
China: 1.2M men, 2.9M women • South Korea: 83K men, 270K women
Population Ratio
4.1M
352K
Ages 95-99: China has 656.3% more people
Men: 126K more in China • Women: 468K more in China
China: 138K men, 546K women • South Korea: 12K men, 79K women
Population Ratio
685K
91K
Ages 100+: China has 302.0% more people
Men: 4K more in China • Women: 36K more in China
China: 4K men, 48K women • South Korea: 684 men, 12K women
Population Ratio
53K
13K
Demographic comparison, 2026
| Indicator | China | South Korea | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2026) | 1,412,914,088 | 51,600,388 | China has 1.36 billion more (27.4×) |
| Change 2025–2026 | -0.2% (Declining) | -0.1% (Declining) | |
| Median age (2026) | 40.6 | 46.2 | South Korea older by 5.5 yrs |
| Total fertility rate | 1.03 — 1.07 below replacement | 0.76 — 1.34 below replacement | |
| Fertility rate, 2030 (UN projection) | 1.06 | 0.81 | |
| Birth rate (per 1,000) | 6.1 | 4.8 | |
| Population 2050 (UN projection) | 1.26 billion (-10.8%) | 45.1 million (-12.5%) | |
| Peak population | Peaks 2021 | Peaks 2020 |
Differences by age group, 2026
| Age | China (M / F) | South Korea (M / F) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 23622K / 21432K | 635K / 603K | China has 3538.1% more people aged 0-4 |
| 5-9 | 39076K / 34560K | 818K / 779K | China has 4510.4% more people aged 5-9 |
| 10-14 | 48504K / 41971K | 1142K / 1088K | China has 3956.5% more people aged 10-14 |
| 15-19 | 46340K / 39578K | 1205K / 1136K | China has 3569.4% more people aged 15-19 |
| 20-24 | 42415K / 36142K | 1345K / 1244K | China has 2934.2% more people aged 20-24 |
| 25-29 | 43779K / 37771K | 1752K / 1597K | China has 2335.2% more people aged 25-29 |
| 30-34 | 49168K / 43509K | 1965K / 1699K | China has 2429.2% more people aged 30-34 |
| 35-39 | 63689K / 58292K | 1754K / 1563K | China has 3577.9% more people aged 35-39 |
| 40-44 | 54302K / 51171K | 1898K / 1769K | China has 2776.6% more people aged 40-44 |
| 45-49 | 47164K / 45301K | 2008K / 1928K | China has 2249.3% more people aged 45-49 |
| 50-54 | 55143K / 54078K | 2113K / 2063K | China has 2515.7% more people aged 50-54 |
| 55-59 | 59034K / 59415K | 2185K / 2194K | China has 2605.4% more people aged 55-59 |
| 60-64 | 50868K / 52813K | 2020K / 2038K | China has 2454.8% more people aged 60-64 |
| 65-69 | 31394K / 34434K | 1875K / 1999K | China has 1599.5% more people aged 65-69 |
| 70-74 | 30704K / 36375K | 1276K / 1444K | China has 2365.8% more people aged 70-74 |
| 75-79 | 18688K / 23697K | 835K / 1024K | China has 2179.0% more people aged 75-79 |
| 80-84 | 9335K / 13004K | 529K / 786K | China has 1598.5% more people aged 80-84 |
| 85-89 | 4220K / 7092K | 276K / 559K | China has 1254.8% more people aged 85-89 |
| 90-94 | 1221K / 2877K | 83K / 270K | China has 1062.7% more people aged 90-94 |
| 95-99 | 138K / 546K | 12K / 79K | China has 656.3% more people aged 95-99 |
| 100+ | 4K / 48K | 1K / 12K | China has 302.0% more people aged 100+ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has more people, China or South Korea?
China has more: 1.41 billion vs 51.6 million in 2026 — 27.4× as many, 1.36 billion more people.
Which country is older?
South Korea, with a median age of 46.2 vs 40.6 in China (2026).
Which has higher fertility?
China, at 1.03 children per woman vs 0.76 in South Korea. Replacement is 2.1, so both are below it.
How will China and South Korea compare in 2050?
By 2050 the UN projects China at 1.26 billion (-10.8% from 2026) and South Korea at 45.1 million (-12.5%).
Are China and South Korea growing or shrinking?
China is declining (-0.2% in 2026); South Korea is declining (-0.1%).
