India vs China by population

China and India are the two most populous countries in the world, with India home to about 1.45 billion people and China home to 1.42 billion in 2024. China and India together account for about 35.17% of the total world population and 60% of the Asia population. India is over three times denser than China, as India's population density is 488 people per square km compared to 148 in China.

As of 2024, the population of India is 31.61 million more than China, as India overtook China in 2022. China’s population reached its peak size and experienced a decline during 2021. The size of the Chinese population will continue to fall and could drop below 1 billion by 2070. India's population is growing at 0.90% and will continue to grow until 2062. China had crossed the one billion milestone in 1981 and India in 1997.

China’s 2024 total fertility rate is estimated to be 1.01 children per woman, much lower than India's 1.96 births per woman. In 1971, China and India had nearly identical levels of total fertility, with 5.5 births per woman. Fertility in China fell sharply to fewer than 3 births per woman by 1977. By contrast, the fertility decline in India has been more gradual. India took more than three decades to experience the same fertility reduction that occurred in China over just six years.

With a median age of 28.44, India is over 11 years younger than China, with half of the population below 39.59 years. For the group aged below 14, the China population is roughly 60% of India. But for people over 55, China has 80% more people than India. Life expectancy in China has been higher since 1950, except for a period of three years (1959–1961). With 78.02 years, Chinese people live 6.8 years more than Indian people of 72.24 years.

Both countries have a higher male population compared to females. With 106.506 males per 100 females, the sex ratio of India is slightly higher than that of China's 103.838.