India vs China by population

India and China are the two most populous countries in the world. In 2026, India has an estimated population of 1.48 billion, while China has approximately 1.41 billion. Together, their populations total about 2.89 billion, accounting for approximately 34.81% of the world population and nearly 60% of the Asian population.

As of 2026, the population of India is approximately 63.71 million higher than that of China, as India overtook China as the world's most populous country in 2022. China's population peaked in 2021 and has been declining since then. This decline is expected to continue, with the population projected to fall below 1 billion by 2070. In contrast, India's population is growing at an annual rate of 0.90% and is projected to continue increasing until 2062. China crossed the 1 billion population milestone in 1981, while India reached it in 1997.

Although India and China have similar-sized populations, their land areas differ considerably. China is approximately 2.95 times larger than India by land area. As a result, India has a population density of around 497 people per square kilometer, compared with 147 in China, making India about 3.31 times as densely populated.

With a median age of 29.22 years, India is more than 11 years younger than China, whose median age is 40.65 years. Among people under 15, China's population is roughly 54% of India's. In contrast, China has approximately 70% more people aged over 50 than India, reflecting its older population structure.

Life expectancy in China has been higher than in India since 1950, except during 1959–1961. In 2026, life expectancy in China is 79.02 years, compared with 72.72 years in India, a difference of 6.30 years.

China's 2024 total fertility rate is estimated at 1.03 children per woman, significantly lower than India's 1.93. In 1971, both countries had nearly identical fertility rates of around 5.5 children per woman. However, China's fertility rate declined sharply, falling below 3 children per woman by 1977, while India's decline was more gradual. India took more than three decades to achieve a similar reduction in fertility, which China experienced in just six years.

Both India and China have more males than females. India's sex ratio is 106.38 males per 100 females, compared with 103.56 in China. India has a male surplus of 45.61 million, compared with 24.70 million in China.

• Population
• Growth
• Fertility rate
• Life expectancy
• Median age
• Birth
• Death

Population projections

Population estimates

Demographics Indicators

• Population pyramid
• Age group share

Age Group