Population in the largest city in China
China: Population in the largest city was 3.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population in the largest city in China, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in China is 3.3%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in China peaked at 5.8% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 1987.
That places China 153rd out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in China, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.2% | — |
| 1961 | 5.3% | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 5.8% | +8.6% |
| 1963 | 5.7% | -1.3% |
| 1964 | 5.0% | -11.6% |
| 1965 | 5.0% | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 4.9% | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 4.7% | -3.2% |
| 1968 | 4.6% | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 4.4% | -3.3% |
| 1970 | 4.3% | -3.4% |
| 1971 | 4.1% | -3.3% |
| 1972 | 4.0% | -3.0% |
| 1973 | 3.8% | -4.0% |
| 1974 | 3.7% | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 3.6% | -4.1% |
| 1976 | 3.4% | -3.4% |
| 1977 | 3.3% | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 3.2% | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 3.1% | -3.7% |
| 1980 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 3.0% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 3.0% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 2.9% | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 2.8% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 2.8% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 2.9% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 3.0% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 3.0% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 3.1% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 3.1% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 3.1% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 3.1% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 3.0% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 3.1% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 3.0% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 3.0% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 3.0% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 3.0% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 3.2% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 3.2% | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 3.3% | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.1% | 4.4% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.7% | 3.1% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More urban development data for China
- Population density 150.26 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.3272 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 460.16 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 2.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 47 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 30.48 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 1,136 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 11,049 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in China?
- Population in the largest city in China was 3.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 5.8% in 1962.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 1987.
- How does China rank for population in the largest city?
- China ranks 153rd out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.