Annual growth of GDP per capita in China
China: Annual growth of GDP per capita was 5.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual growth of GDP per capita in China, 1961–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
China recorded 5.1% for annual growth of gdp per capita in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and down 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth of gdp per capita in China peaked at 16.1% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -26.5%, in 1961.
That places China 29th out of 212 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth of GDP per capita in China, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -26.5% | — |
| 1962 | -6.4% | -76.1% |
| 1963 | 7.6% | -220.0% |
| 1964 | 15.5% | +102.9% |
| 1965 | 14.2% | -8.2% |
| 1966 | 7.6% | -46.4% |
| 1967 | -8.2% | -207.3% |
| 1968 | -6.6% | -19.5% |
| 1969 | 13.8% | -309.7% |
| 1970 | 16.1% | +16.5% |
| 1971 | 4.2% | -74.1% |
| 1972 | 1.3% | -69.0% |
| 1973 | 5.3% | +312.9% |
| 1974 | 0.2% | -95.9% |
| 1975 | 6.8% | +3026.7% |
| 1976 | -3.1% | -145.2% |
| 1977 | 6.1% | -298.4% |
| 1978 | 9.8% | +61.1% |
| 1979 | 6.2% | -37.4% |
| 1980 | 6.5% | +5.3% |
| 1981 | 3.8% | -41.9% |
| 1982 | 7.4% | +96.7% |
| 1983 | 9.2% | +23.6% |
| 1984 | 13.7% | +49.1% |
| 1985 | 11.9% | -13.1% |
| 1986 | 7.3% | -38.3% |
| 1987 | 9.9% | +34.7% |
| 1988 | 9.4% | -4.4% |
| 1989 | 2.6% | -72.2% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | -8.1% |
| 1991 | 7.9% | +227.7% |
| 1992 | 12.9% | +63.5% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 11.8% | -6.4% |
| 1995 | 9.8% | -16.9% |
| 1996 | 8.8% | -10.1% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | -7.3% |
| 1998 | 6.9% | -15.8% |
| 1999 | 6.8% | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 7.7% | +13.3% |
| 2001 | 7.5% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 8.5% | +12.8% |
| 2003 | 9.4% | +10.9% |
| 2004 | 9.5% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 10.8% | +13.8% |
| 2006 | 12.0% | +11.6% |
| 2007 | 13.6% | +12.5% |
| 2008 | 9.1% | -32.8% |
| 2009 | 8.9% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 10.1% | +13.5% |
| 2011 | 8.9% | -11.9% |
| 2012 | 7.1% | -19.6% |
| 2013 | 7.1% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 6.8% | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | -6.3% |
| 2016 | 6.2% | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 6.2% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 6.3% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 5.7% | -9.1% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | -63.2% |
| 2021 | 8.5% | +304.2% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -62.9% |
| 2023 | 5.5% | +75.6% |
| 2024 | 5.1% | -7.9% |
| 2025 | 5.1% | +1.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 5.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.1%, 1.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 5.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.4%, 1.5× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual growth of GDP per capita in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +3026.7% | 0.2% | 6.8% |
| 1973 | +312.9% | 1.3% | 5.3% |
| 1969 | +309.7% | -6.6% | 13.8% |
| 2021 | +304.2% | 2.1% | 8.5% |
| 1977 | +298.4% | -3.1% | 6.1% |
| 1991 | +227.7% | 2.4% | 7.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.2% | -26.5% | 15.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.3% | -3.1% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.2% | 2.6% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.8% | 2.4% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.7% | 7.5% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.1% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.9% | 2.1% | 8.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More economy & growth data for China
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.46 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0029 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 39.69 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.8948 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 28.98 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 1.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0016 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth of gdp per capita in China?
- Annual growth of gdp per capita in China was 5.1% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth of gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 1970.
- What is the lowest annual growth of gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -26.5% in 1961.
- How does China rank for annual growth of gdp per capita?
- China ranks 29th out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth of gdp per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This data is adjusted for inflation.