India vs China: population pyramids in 1956
IndiaChina
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.
India and China compared
In 1956, India has a population of 392.3 million and China 610.3 million; China is about 1.6 times the size of India.
The share aged 65 and over is 3.3% in India and 4.3% in China, 1.1 points higher in China. The median age is 20.7 years in India and 21.6 years in China.
The total fertility rate is 5.91 in India and 5.85 in China, both above the replacement level of about 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 44.1 years in India and 47.8 years in China.
By 2050, the population of India is projected to grow by 327.6% and that of China to grow by 107.3% compared with 1956.
GDP per person is $2,702 in India (2025) and $14K in China (2025).
Key figures (1956)
| India | China | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 392.3 million | 610.3 million |
| Aged 0–14 | 39.1% | 38.6% |
| Aged 15–64 | 57.6% | 57.1% |
| Aged 65+ | 3.3% | 4.3% |
| Median age | 20.7 yrs | 21.6 yrs |
| Old-age dependency | 5.7 | 7.6 |
| Total fertility rate | 5.91 | 5.85 |
| Life expectancy | 44.1 yrs | 47.8 yrs |
| Population growth | +2.38% | +2.02% |
| Net migration (per year) | +160,728 | -1,850 |
| GDP | $3.96T (2025) | $19.5T (2025) |
| GDP per person | $2,702 (2025) | $14K (2025) |
| Unemployment | 4.2% (2025) | 4.6% (2025) |
Economic figures are the latest year published for each country.