China vs Iran
China has 15.2× the population of Iran: 1,406,585,000 vs 92,417,681, a gap of 1.31 billion. Iran is growing faster (+0.92% vs −0.17% a year), adding about 853,875 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. China is the older society: 14.9% aged 65+ against 8.6% in Iran, while Iran has more children (22.0% under 15 vs 15.4%). China is 2.7× as densely populated (150.3 vs 55.8 people per km²). GDP per capita is 3.5× higher in China ($13,862 vs $3,924).
Country/territory population bases: World Bank 2025 (China) and 2025 (Iran); growth years 2025 / 2025. Annual source values, not live counts; years may differ. Growth is national, not local.
China vs Iran — side by side
 China |  Iran | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,406,585,0002025 | 92,417,6812025 |
| Growth rate / yr | −0.17%2025 | +0.92%2025 |
| Births per 1,000 | 6.82024 | 12.62024 |
| Deaths per 1,000 | 7.82024 | 4.82024 |
| Children per woman | 1.012024 | 1.682024 |
| Life expectancy | 78.0 yrs2024 | 77.9 yrs2024 |
| Aged 0–14 | 15.4%2025 | 22.0%2025 |
| Aged 65+ | 14.9%2025 | 8.6%2025 |
| Density | 150.3 /km²2023 | 55.8 /km²2023 |
| Area | 9,562,910 km²2023 | 1,745,150 km²2023 |
| Urban population | 66.3%2025 | 77.4%2025 |
| Net migration / yr | -268,1262025 | +116,7862025 |
| GDP per capita | $13,8622025 | $3,9242025 |
| Country population rank (available records) | #2 | #17 |
| Base / world population (World Bank 2025) | 17.12% | 1.12% |
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; Iran: 4.3× 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 · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · 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.
Iran: Iran vs India, Iran vs China, Iran vs United States, Iran vs Indonesia, Iran vs Pakistan, Iran vs Nigeria, Iran vs Brazil, Iran vs Bangladesh.
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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.