Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in China
China: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual was 2.03 % change on previous year in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.03 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 8.2%
World rank
43rd
of 121 countries
All-time high
7 % change on previous year
in 2000
All-time low
1.17 % change on previous year
in 1970
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in China, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in China stood at 2.03 % change on previous year.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.2% on the previous year and down 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in China peaked at 7 % change on previous year in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.17 % change on previous year, in 1970.
That places China 43rd out of 121 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in China, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.87 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 1.88 % change on previous year | -34.6% |
| 1963 | 1.83 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 1964 | 2.05 % change on previous year | +11.7% |
| 1965 | 2.37 % change on previous year | +15.7% |
| 1966 | 1.79 % change on previous year | -24.5% |
| 1967 | 1.24 % change on previous year | -30.8% |
| 1968 | 1.21 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1969 | 1.17 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
| 1970 | 1.17 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 1.61 % change on previous year | +37.7% |
| 1972 | 2.02 % change on previous year | +25.8% |
| 1973 | 2.05 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 2.08 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 2.11 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 2.11 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 2.33 % change on previous year | +10.8% |
| 1978 | 2.56 % change on previous year | +9.8% |
| 1979 | 2.76 % change on previous year | +7.6% |
| 1980 | 2.79 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 2.94 % change on previous year | +5.5% |
| 1982 | 3.01 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 3.81 % change on previous year | +26.7% |
| 1984 | 3.87 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 3.93 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 4.01 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 4.07 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 4.15 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 4.23 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 4.34 % change on previous year | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 5.74 % change on previous year | +32.3% |
| 1992 | 5.86 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 5.95 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 6.08 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 6.21 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 6.35 % change on previous year | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 6.48 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 6.65 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 6.81 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 7 % change on previous year | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 4.64 % change on previous year | -33.7% |
| 2002 | 3.53 % change on previous year | -24.0% |
| 2003 | 3.55 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 3.57 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 3.58 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 3.61 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 3.62 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 3.65 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 3.66 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 3.69 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 3.08 % change on previous year | -16.4% |
| 2012 | 2.79 % change on previous year | -9.6% |
| 2013 | 2.8 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 2.79 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.79 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 2.76 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 2.71 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 2.73 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 2.72 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 2.69 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 2.62 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 2.52 % change on previous year | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 2.37 % change on previous year | -5.6% |
| 2024 | 2.21 % change on previous year | -7.0% |
| 2025 | 2.03 % change on previous year | -8.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.82 % change on previous year | 1.17 % change on previous year | 2.87 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.08 % change on previous year | 1.17 % change on previous year | 2.76 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.68 % change on previous year | 2.79 % change on previous year | 4.23 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.05 % change on previous year | 4.34 % change on previous year | 6.81 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.04 % change on previous year | 3.53 % change on previous year | 7 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.89 % change on previous year | 2.71 % change on previous year | 3.69 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.41 % change on previous year | 2.03 % change on previous year | 2.69 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 40 Haiti 2.38 % change on previous year compare
- 41 Guatemala 2.22 % change on previous year compare
- 42 Malaysia 2.09 % change on previous year compare
- 44 Indonesia 2 % change on previous year compare
- 45 Egypt 1.98 % change on previous year compare
- 46 Philippines 1.96 % change on previous year compare
More urban development data for China
- Population in the largest city 3.3% (2025)
- 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 460.16 million (2025)
- 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, 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 urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in China?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in China was 2.03 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 7 % change on previous year in 2000.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.17 % change on previous year in 1970.
- How does China rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual?
- China ranks 43rd out of 121 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.