China
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: People's Republic of China.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
China's population began shrinking in 2022, its first annual decline in about six decades.
Matchup file
China vs United Kingdom
124 shared metrics.
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United Kingdom leads by 4 metrics. Use the same instinct in a quick real-data brawl.
Country briefing
What matters for both sides
Short real-world notes so the comparison reads like more than a stat strip.
United Kingdom
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - the island of Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales.
CIA 2026
Identity
Name origin: the name United Kingdom is self-descriptive.
CIA 2026
Analysis
United Kingdom leads in 64 of 124 shared metrics, while China leads in 60.
China's Irrigated Land is 960.1x that of United Kingdom (690.1K km² vs 718 km²).
China's Coal Electricity Share is 493.1x that of United Kingdom (54.35% vs 0.11%).
China's Domestic Patents is 122.1x that of United Kingdom (1.43M vs 11.6K).
China's Forest Area is 69.2x that of United Kingdom (2.26M km² vs 32.2K km²).
China's Water Withdrawal is 66.5x that of United Kingdom (568.48 B m³ vs 8.4 B m³).
Key Comparisons
Irrigated LandChina leads
China
690.1K km²
United Kingdom
718 km²
Coal Electricity ShareChina leads
China
54.35%
United Kingdom
0.11%
Domestic PatentsChina leads
China
1.43M
United Kingdom
11.6K
Forest AreaChina leads
China
2.26M km²
United Kingdom
32.2K km²
Water WithdrawalChina leads
China
568.48 B m³
United Kingdom
8.4 B m³
Land Border LengthChina leads
China
22.5K km
United Kingdom
499 km
All Metrics
Irrigated Land
ChinaChina
690.1K km²
United Kingdom
718 km²
96010% higher
Coal Electricity Share
ChinaChina
54.35%
United Kingdom
0.11%
49309% higher
Domestic Patents
ChinaChina
1.43M
United Kingdom
11.6K
12207% higher
Forest Area
ChinaChina
2.26M km²
United Kingdom
32.2K km²
6917% higher
Water Withdrawal
ChinaChina
568.48 B m³
United Kingdom
8.4 B m³
6652% higher
Land Border Length
ChinaChina
22.5K km
United Kingdom
499 km
4400% higher
Total CO2 Emissions
ChinaChina
13.1K Mt CO2e
United Kingdom
292.42 Mt CO2e
4388% higher
Land Area
ChinaChina
9.39M km²
United Kingdom
241.9K km²
3781% higher
Electricity Generation
ChinaChina
10.1K TWh
United Kingdom
281.33 TWh
3480% higher
Shipping Traffic
ChinaChina
268.99M
United Kingdom
9.74M
2662% higher
Electric Generating Capacity
ChinaChina
2.95B kW
United Kingdom
114.75M kW
2470% higher
Foreign Patents
ChinaChina
159.0K
United Kingdom
7.3K
2089% higher
Population
ChinaChina
1.41B
United Kingdom
68.75M
1947% higher
Armed Forces Personnel
ChinaChina
2.54M
United Kingdom
153.0K
1557% higher
Border Neighbors
ChinaChina
16
United Kingdom
1.0
1500% higher
Political Corruption Index
ChinaChina
0.55
United Kingdom
0.04
1219% higher
Capital Elevation
ChinaChina
43 m
United Kingdom
4.0 m
975% higher
Merchant Fleet Size
ChinaChina
8.3K
United Kingdom
868
858% higher
Railway Length
ChinaChina
150.0K km
United Kingdom
16.4K km
815% higher
Scientific Publications
ChinaChina
898.9K
United Kingdom
105.6K
751% higher
Road Traffic Death Rate
ChinaChina
17.4 per 100k
United Kingdom
2.4 per 100k
625% higher
Railway Network
ChinaChina
109.8K km
United Kingdom
16.2K km
578% higher
Highest Elevation
ChinaChina
8.8K m
United Kingdom
1.3K m
558% higher
Air Passengers
ChinaChina
619.22M
United Kingdom
118.95M
421% higher
GDP (Nominal)
ChinaChina
$18,743,803,170,827.2
United Kingdom
$3,686,033,044,482.13
409% higher
GDP Growth Rate
ChinaChina
5.0%
United Kingdom
1.1%
342% higher
Time Zones Count
ChinaChina
4.0 time zones
United Kingdom
1.0 time zones
300% higher
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
ChinaChina
34.81 µg/m³
United Kingdom
9.9 µg/m³
251% higher
Water Stress (%)
ChinaChina
20.21%
United Kingdom
5.8%
248% higher
Tourist Arrivals
ChinaChina
30.40M
United Kingdom
11.10M
174% higher
Electricity Carbon Intensity
ChinaChina
525.34 gCO2/kWh
United Kingdom
217.41 gCO2/kWh
142% higher
Seafood Consumption per Person
ChinaChina
40.33 kg/person/yr
United Kingdom
18.13 kg/person/yr
122% higher
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
ChinaChina
5.0 per 1k
United Kingdom
2.4 per 1k
108% higher
Nobel Laureates Born per Million People
United KingdomChina
0.01 per 1M people
United Kingdom
1.5 per 1M people
100% lower
EV Chargers per 100,000 People
United KingdomChina
0.22 per 100k people
United Kingdom
11.49 per 100k people
98% lower
Freedom of Expression Index
United KingdomChina
0.04
United Kingdom
0.83
95% lower
Liberal Democracy Index
United KingdomChina
0.04
United Kingdom
0.69
94% lower
Inflation Rate
United KingdomChina
0.20%
United Kingdom
3.3%
94% lower
Firms Asked for Bribes
United KingdomChina
0.14% of firms
United Kingdom
2.1% of firms
93% lower
McDonald's Outlets per Million People
United KingdomChina
1.6 per 1M people
United Kingdom
21.22 per 1M people
92% lower
Electoral Democracy Index
United KingdomChina
0.07
United Kingdom
0.77
91% lower
CO2 Per Capita
ChinaChina
8.7 t/person/yr
United Kingdom
4.5 t/person/yr
91% higher
Health Spending Per Capita
United KingdomChina
$672.45
United Kingdom
$5,366.78
87% lower
Milk Consumption per Person
United KingdomChina
32.66 kg/person/yr
United Kingdom
232.2 kg/person/yr
86% lower
Tobacco Use Prevalence
ChinaChina
22.7% of adults
United Kingdom
12.3% of adults
85% higher
Forest Coverage (%)
ChinaChina
24.03%
United Kingdom
13.29%
81% higher
Minimum Paid Vacation Days
United KingdomChina
5.0 days/yr
United Kingdom
20 days/yr
75% lower
Firms Hit by Power Outages
United KingdomChina
3.7% of firms
United Kingdom
14.29% of firms
74% lower
GNI Per Capita
United KingdomChina
$13,660
United Kingdom
$49,470
72% lower
Tax Revenue (% GDP)
United KingdomChina
7.6% of GDP
United Kingdom
26.96% of GDP
72% lower
Obesity Rate
United KingdomChina
8.2%
United Kingdom
28.71%
71% lower
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
ChinaChina
60 sites
United Kingdom
35 sites
71% higher
Solar Electricity Share
ChinaChina
11.1%
United Kingdom
6.6%
68% higher
Smoking Rate
ChinaChina
23.4%
United Kingdom
14.2%
65% higher
Government Debt (% GDP)
United KingdomChina
47% of GDP
United Kingdom
131.07% of GDP
64% lower
Vehicles per 1,000 People
United KingdomChina
212.35 per 1k people
United Kingdom
585.12 per 1k people
64% lower
Beer Consumption
United KingdomChina
1.1 L/person/yr
United Kingdom
3.1 L/person/yr
63% lower
Wind Electricity Share
United KingdomChina
10.73%
United Kingdom
29.37%
63% lower
Nurses & Midwives
United KingdomChina
3.5 per 1k
United Kingdom
9.2 per 1k
62% lower
Nuclear Electricity Share
United KingdomChina
4.9%
United Kingdom
12.5%
61% lower
Firms with Female Top Manager
ChinaChina
19.6% of firms
United Kingdom
12.3% of firms
59% higher
Alcohol Consumption
United KingdomChina
4.6 L/adult/yr
United Kingdom
10.73 L/adult/yr
57% lower
Homicide Rate
United KingdomChina
0.50 per 100k
United Kingdom
1.1 per 100k
55% lower
Electricity Use (Per Capita)
ChinaChina
6.5K kWh/person
United Kingdom
4.2K kWh/person
55% higher
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
United KingdomChina
$27,104.87
United Kingdom
$60,620.38
55% lower
Firms Making Informal Payments
United KingdomChina
0.29% of firms
United Kingdom
0.62% of firms
53% lower
Health Spending (% GDP)
United KingdomChina
5.4% of GDP
United Kingdom
10.87% of GDP
51% lower
Food Waste per Person
ChinaChina
141.64 kg/person/yr
United Kingdom
95.2 kg/person/yr
49% higher
Big Mac Price
United KingdomChina
$3.66
United Kingdom
$7.08
48% lower
Population Density
United KingdomChina
150.26 /km²
United Kingdom
283.11 /km²
47% lower
Imports (% GDP)
United KingdomChina
17.18% of GDP
United Kingdom
31.86% of GDP
46% lower
Airports
United KingdomChina
571
United Kingdom
1.1K
46% lower
Protected Land (%)
United KingdomChina
15.6%
United Kingdom
28.4%
45% lower
Corruption Perceptions Index
United KingdomChina
43 pts
United Kingdom
70 pts
39% lower
Child Mortality
ChinaChina
6.2 per 1k births
United Kingdom
4.5 per 1k births
38% higher
Teen Birth Rate
United KingdomChina
5.2 per 1k
United Kingdom
8.4 per 1k
37% lower
Exports (% GDP)
United KingdomChina
20.02% of GDP
United Kingdom
30.98% of GDP
35% lower
Women in Parliament (%)
United KingdomChina
26.54%
United Kingdom
40.46%
34% lower
Energy Use (Per Capita)
ChinaChina
2.9K kg oil eq/person
United Kingdom
2.1K kg oil eq/person
34% higher
Average Weekly Work Hours
ChinaChina
46.1 hrs/week
United Kingdom
34.92 hrs/week
32% higher
Birth Rate
United KingdomChina
7.3 per 1k
United Kingdom
10.76 per 1k
32% lower
Education Spending (% GDP)
United KingdomChina
4.0% of GDP
United Kingdom
5.9% of GDP
32% lower
Women's Political Empowerment
United KingdomChina
0.59
United Kingdom
0.84
30% lower
Fertility Rate
United KingdomChina
1.2 children/woman
United Kingdom
1.6 children/woman
27% lower
Credit Card Ownership
United KingdomChina
46.03% of adults
United Kingdom
62.11% of adults
26% lower
Renewable Energy (%)
ChinaChina
15.2%
United Kingdom
12.2%
25% higher
Military Spending
United KingdomChina
1.7% of GDP
United Kingdom
2.3% of GDP
25% lower
Elderly Population (%)
United KingdomChina
14.67%
United Kingdom
19.5%
25% lower
Meat Consumption per Person
United KingdomChina
60.6 kg/person/yr
United Kingdom
79.9 kg/person/yr
24% lower
Dependency Ratio
United KingdomChina
44.24% of working-age pop.
United Kingdom
57.94% of working-age pop.
24% lower
Agricultural Land (%)
United KingdomChina
55.43%
United Kingdom
70.31%
21% lower
Urban Population (%)
United KingdomChina
65.89%
United Kingdom
83.24%
21% lower
Renewable Energy (%)
United KingdomChina
17.47%
United Kingdom
21.29%
18% lower
Coastline Length
ChinaChina
14.5K km
United Kingdom
12.4K km
17% higher
Human Development Index
United KingdomChina
0.80
United Kingdom
0.95
16% lower
ATMs per 100,000 Adults
United KingdomChina
72.03 per 100k
United Kingdom
84.32 per 100k
15% lower
Death Rate
United KingdomChina
8.0 per 1k
United Kingdom
9.3 per 1k
14% lower
Infant Mortality
ChinaChina
4.5 per 1k births
United Kingdom
4.0 per 1k births
13% higher
R&D Spending (% GDP)
United KingdomChina
2.6% of GDP
United Kingdom
2.9% of GDP
12% lower
High-Tech Exports (%)
United KingdomChina
26.28%
United Kingdom
29.72%
12% lower
Insufficient Physical Activity
ChinaChina
23.84% of adults
United Kingdom
21.22% of adults
12% higher
Inequality (Gini)
ChinaChina
36
United Kingdom
32.4
11% higher
Unemployment Rate
ChinaChina
4.6%
United Kingdom
4.1%
11% higher
Digital Payments Used
United KingdomChina
88.72% of adults
United Kingdom
99.17% of adults
11% lower
Broadband Access (%)
ChinaChina
45 per 100 people
United Kingdom
41 per 100 people
10% higher
Life Evaluation Score
United KingdomChina
6.1 pts
United Kingdom
6.7 pts
9% lower
Mobile Subscriptions (%)
ChinaChina
132 per 100 people
United Kingdom
122 per 100 people
8% higher
Youth Unemployment Rate
ChinaChina
15.79% of youth labor force
United Kingdom
14.65% of youth labor force
8% higher
Youth Population (%)
United KingdomChina
16.01%
United Kingdom
17.18%
7% lower
Doctors (per 1,000)
United KingdomChina
3.1 per 1k
United Kingdom
3.3 per 1k
6% lower
Suicide Rate
United KingdomChina
8.9 per 100k
United Kingdom
9.6 per 100k
6% lower
University Enrollment Rate
United KingdomChina
76.88%
United Kingdom
80.5%
5% lower
Internet Users (%)
United KingdomChina
92%
United Kingdom
96%
4% lower
Life Expectancy
United KingdomChina
78.0 years
United Kingdom
81.2 years
4% lower
Spirits Consumption
United KingdomChina
2.5 L/person/yr
United Kingdom
2.6 L/person/yr
3% lower
Hypertension Prevalence
ChinaChina
27.3% of adults
United Kingdom
26.4% of adults
3% higher
Can Raise Emergency Money
ChinaChina
95.1% of adults
United Kingdom
92.2% of adults
3% higher
Median Age
United KingdomChina
39.1 years
United Kingdom
39.8 years
2% lower
Sanitation Access (%)
United KingdomChina
97.27%
United Kingdom
99.1%
2% lower
Electricity Access (%)
ChinaChina
100%
United Kingdom
100%
equal
Lowest Elevation
United KingdomChina
-154 m
United Kingdom
-4 m
ranked lower
Official Languages Count
ChinaChina
1.0
United Kingdom
1.0
equal
Current Account Balance (% of GDP)
ChinaChina
3.7% of GDP
United Kingdom
-3.1% of GDP
ranked higher
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
ChinaChina
0.10% of GDP
United Kingdom
-1.65% of GDP
ranked higher
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