Atlas · Asia-Pacific · CHN
China
- Output · rank 2/187
- $19.5T
- People · rank 2/187
- 1.42B
- Land · rank 2/187
- 9,388K km²
- GDP per person
- $13,795
- Density
- 150.8 /km²
Government debt
96.3%gross debt, share of GDP
$18.8Toutstanding, rank 2 of 178
- Perimeter
- General government
- Basis
- Gross, not net
- Valuation
- Nominal
- Debt per person
- $13,285
- Net of assets
- 60.5%
- Source
- IMF World Economic Outlook / Fiscal Monitor
Gross debt is 96.3%; net of the government’s financial assets it is 60.5%, a 35.8% gap.
What this number does not tell youThe most misread figure in public finance. Perimeter varies by country — the IMF notes its Fiscal Monitor tables use a narrower perimeter for China than its Article IV estimates, and published figures for Japan range from roughly 200% to 250% depending on perimeter and valuation, both citing the IMF. Debt in a currency the government issues is a fundamentally different instrument from debt it must earn or borrow to service; this ratio does not distinguish them.
Private-sector debt
- Households
- 61.3% of GDP
- Non-financial corporations
- 140.8% of GDP
- Total private
- 202.1% of GDP
Government debt is only one layer. Household and corporate borrowing is where financial fragility often actually sits — and here it totals 202.1% of GDP, larger than the public debt above.
Currency & monetary policy
Issues its own currency and sets its own policy rate — meaningful room to manage local-currency debt.
House prices
The real figure strips out inflation and is the one that tells you whether housing actually became more expensive.
Payment rails
| System | Type | Live since |
|---|---|---|
| HVPS | Large-value RTGS | 2005 |
| IBPS | Instant retail | 2010 |
| CIPS | Cross-border | 2015 |
Against its region and the world
Where China sits relative to the Asia-Pacific average and the world average.
GDP per person (USD)
This country13,795
Region average8,736
World average14,013
Population density (per km²)
This country151
Region average135
World average64
Debt to GDP (%)
This country96
Region average97
World average95
Major banks
Largest institutions headquartered in China, by total assets. Assets, not market value — the two rank very differently.
| Institution | Total assets | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Industrial and Commercial Bank of China | $7.6T |
| 2 | Agricultural Bank of China | $6.6T |
| 3 | China Construction Bank | $6.3T |
| 4 | Bank of China | $5.6T |
| 5 | Postal Savings Bank of China | $2.4T |
| 6 | Bank of Communications | $1.7T |
| 7 | China Merchants Bank | $1.6T |
| 8 | Industrial Bank Co | $1.5T |
| 9 | China CITIC Bank | $1.3T |
| 10 | Shanghai Pudong Development Bank | $1.3T |
All figures
- Nominal GDP
- $19.5T
- Share of world output
- 16.96%
- Population
- 1.42B
- Share of world population
- 17.23%
- Land area
- 9,388,211 km²
- Share of world land
- 7.26%
- GDP per person
- $13,795
- GDP per km²
- $2,080,801
- Population density
- 150.8 /km²
- Government debt
- 96.3%
- Debt outstanding
- $18.8T
Closest by output in Asia-Pacific
| India | $4.2T | 83.0% |
| Japan | $4.2T | 232.7% |
| South Korea | $1.9T | 56.5% |
| Australia | $1.8T | 50.1% |
| Indonesia | $1.5T | 40.1% |
Nearest neighbours by nominal output within the same region. Third column is debt to GDP.
Where these figures come from
- Nominal GDPGross domestic product at current market prices, converted to US dollars at market exchange rates. Not adjusted for purchasing power.
- IMF World Economic Outlook
2025 estimate - PopulationTotal resident population, mid-year estimate.
- UN World Population Prospects
2025 estimate - Land areaTotal land area, excluding inland water where the source reports it separately.
- UN Statistics Division
2024 - General government gross debtGross debt of the general government sector as a share of GDP. Gross means government-held financial assets are not netted off.
- IMF World Economic Outlook / Fiscal Monitor
2025–26 estimate - Bank total assetsTotal assets for the most recent reporting period: cash, loans, investments, property and equipment.
- S&P Global Market Intelligence
2026 ranking - Net government debtGovernment debt net of its financial assets, as a share of GDP.
- IMF Fiscal Monitor
2025–26 estimate - Household debtCredit to households and non-profits serving them, as a share of GDP.
- BIS credit statistics
2024–25 - Corporate debtCredit to non-financial corporations, as a share of GDP.
- BIS credit statistics
2024–25 - Exchange rate regimeHow the currency is managed: free floating, floating, pegged, currency board, or no separate legal tender.
- IMF AREAER
2025 - Central bank policy rateThe main policy interest rate set by the central bank.
- Central banks / BIS
mid-2026, live - Residential house pricesYear-on-year change in residential property prices, nominal and inflation-adjusted.
- BIS / OECD residential property
latest quarter