China vs India: population pyramids in 1961
ChinaIndia
Each bar is the share of the total population at that single year of age (men left, women right), so countries of different sizes can be compared.
China and India compared
In 1961, China has a population of 654.7 million and India 441.2 million; China is about 1.5 times the size of India.
The share aged 65 and over is 3.9% in China and 3.3% in India, 0.6 points higher in China. The median age is 21.0 years in China and 20.2 years in India.
The total fertility rate is 3.86 in China and 5.94 in India, both above the replacement level of about 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 40.2 years in China and 45.8 years in India.
By 2050, the population of China is projected to grow by 93.2% and that of India to grow by 280.2% compared with 1961.
GDP per person is $14K in China (2025) and $2,702 in India (2025).
Key figures (1961)
| China | India | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 654.7 million | 441.2 million |
| Aged 0–14 | 40.2% | 40.7% |
| Aged 15–64 | 55.9% | 56.0% |
| Aged 65+ | 3.9% | 3.3% |
| Median age | 21.0 yrs | 20.2 yrs |
| Old-age dependency | 7.0 | 5.9 |
| Total fertility rate | 3.86 | 5.94 |
| Life expectancy | 40.2 yrs | 45.8 yrs |
| Population growth | +0.33% | +2.41% |
| Net migration (per year) | -25,578 | +295,177 |
| GDP | $19.5T (2025) | $3.96T (2025) |
| GDP per person | $14K (2025) | $2,702 (2025) |
| Unemployment | 4.6% (2025) | 4.2% (2025) |
Economic figures are the latest year published for each country.