China vs France
China has 20.5× the population of France: 1,406,585,000 vs 68,720,337, a gap of 1.34 billion. France is growing faster (+0.25% vs −0.17% a year), adding about 168,891 people a year against −2,387,972. At these source-year rates the modelled relative population gap is narrowing, but too slowly to close within two centuries. France is the older society: 22.5% aged 65+ against 14.9% in China. People in France live 5.0 years longer on average (83.0 vs 78.0). GDP per capita is 3.5× higher in France ($48,986 vs $13,862).
Country/territory population bases: World Bank 2025 (China) and 2025 (France); growth years 2025 / 2025. Annual source values, not live counts; years may differ. Growth is national, not local.
China vs France — side by side
 China |  France | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,406,585,0002025 | 68,720,3372025 |
| Growth rate / yr | −0.17%2025 | +0.25%2025 |
| Births per 1,000 | 6.82024 | 9.72024 |
| Deaths per 1,000 | 7.82024 | 9.42024 |
| Children per woman | 1.012024 | 1.612024 |
| Life expectancy | 78.0 yrs2024 | 83.0 yrs2024 |
| Aged 0–14 | 15.4%2025 | 16.2%2025 |
| Aged 65+ | 14.9%2025 | 22.5%2025 |
| Density | 150.3 /km²2023 | 126.9 /km²2023 |
| Area | 9,562,910 km²2023 | 606,410 km²2023 |
| Urban population | 66.3%2025 | 78.8%2025 |
| Net migration / yr | -268,1262025 | +91,7372025 |
| GDP per capita | $13,8622025 | $48,9862025 |
| Country population rank (available records) | #2 | #23 |
| Base / world population (World Bank 2025) | 17.12% | 0.84% |
Highlighted cell = the higher value (not "better"). Small print under each value is its own data year. Source: World Bank; country/territory population bases may have different years. These are not live counts.
Population since 1960
World Bank population history (not the separate UN WPP timeline). China: 2.1× from 1960 to 2025; France: 1.4× from 1960 to 2025. Left: absolute population. Right: each series indexed to its own first available year = 100; baseline years may differ.
More comparisons
Regions: East Asia & Pacific · Europe & Central Asia · rankings
China: China vs India, China vs United States, China vs Indonesia, China vs Pakistan, China vs Nigeria, China vs Brazil, China vs Bangladesh, China vs Russia.
France: France vs India, France vs China, France vs United States, France vs Indonesia, France vs Pakistan, France vs Nigeria, France vs Brazil, France vs Bangladesh.
Compare anything
Pick any two. The result renders instantly from the same live data as the map, and the URL updates so you can share it.
What changed during your lifetime?
Turn these figures into a private, five-scene personal world story.
Compare like with like
This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.