China Profile Detail

Basic Country Information

Country NamePeople’s Republic of China
Capital CityBeijing
BRICS StatusFounding Member – Original BRIC (2006 dialogue; first summit 2009)
Total Population~1,408.28 million (end of 2024, NBS Statistical Communiqué); world’s 2nd most populous (after India since 2023)
Population Growth Rate-0.99 per thousand (2024, NBS) – natural decline: 9.54M births vs 10.93M deaths
Rural Population (%)~33% (~464.78M); urban: ~67% (943.50M urban permanent residents, end 2024, NBS)
Urban Population (%)67.0% (2024, NBS); urbanisation rate continuing to rise
GDP (Nominal)134,908.4 billion yuan (2024, NBS); ~USD 18.5–19.0 trillion at avg exchange rate 7.12 RMB/USD; +5.0% real growth
GDP per Capita~USD 13,100–13,500 (2024, IMF/NBS)
Agriculture’s Share of GDPPrimary industry: 6.8% of GDP (9,141.4 billion yuan, 2024, NBS). Agriculture and related industries: 15.29% of GDP (20.6 trillion yuan, NBS 2024 extended accounting)
Agriculture’s Share of Employment~23–25% of total workforce (~170–180M agricultural workers; 299.73M rural migrant workers in 2024, NBS)
HDI Rank0.788 (2023/24, UNDP) – High Human Development; ~75th globally
Official Language(s)Standard Chinese (Mandarin/Putonghua); 7 major dialect groups; 56 recognised ethnic groups with own languages
CurrencyRenminbi (RMB/CNY); avg 7.12 RMB/USD in 2024 (NBS)

Geographic Coordinates & Physical Extent

Total Geographic AreaApproximately 9,596,960 km² – world's 3rd/4th largest country; spans five time zones but uses a single national time standard (Beijing Time, UTC+8)
Northernmost PointApproximately 53°33′ N (Mohe, Heilongjiang – Amur River border with Russia)
Southernmost PointApproximately 3°52′ N (Zengmu Ansha, Nansha Islands, South China Sea); mainland: 18°10′ N (Hainan)
Easternmost PointApproximately 134°46′ E (junction of the Heilong and Wusuli Rivers)
Westernmost PointApproximately 73°29′ E (Pamir Plateau, Xinjiang)
CoastlineApproximately 18,000 km (mainland); approximately 32,000 km including islands
Land BordersApproximately 22,117 km. China shares borders with 14 countries: Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea.
Highest PointMount Everest (Qomolangma), 8,848.86 m (Tibet–Nepal border) – the highest mountain in the world
Major RiversYangtze (Chang Jiang, 6,300 km – Asia's longest river), Yellow River (Huang He, 5,464 km), Pearl River (Zhu Jiang), Mekong River (Lancang), and Heilongjiang (Amur River)

Administrative Divisions

Primary Level

34 provincial-level divisions comprising:

  • 23 Provinces
  • 4 Municipalities: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing
  • 5 Autonomous Regions: Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, Ningxia
  • 2 Special Administrative Regions (SARs): Hong Kong and Macau
Secondary Level333 prefecture-level divisions, including prefecture-level cities, prefectures, autonomous prefectures, and leagues.
Tertiary LevelApproximately 2,844 county-level divisions, including districts, county-level cities, counties, autonomous counties, and banners.
Key Agricultural Provinces
  • Heilongjiang – Largest grain-producing province
  • Henan – Leading wheat-producing province
  • Sichuan – Largest pig-producing province
  • Hunan & Jiangxi – Major rice-producing regions
  • Shandong – Leading producer of vegetables and livestock products
  • Xinjiang – Major cotton-producing region
  • Yunnan – Known for tea and tropical agricultural products
  • Hubei – Important freshwater fish production center