The United States and China
The United States and China side by side on the same measures, each figure with its source and year.
Key figures
| Measure | United Statesblue | Chinaorange | Source and year |
|---|---|---|---|
| GDP | US$30.77 trillionHigher | US$19.50 trillion | World Bank, 2025 |
| Population | 342 million | 1.41 billionHigher | World Bank, 2025 |
| GDP per person | US$90,027Higher | US$13,862 | World Bank, 2025 |
| Economic growth% | 2.2 | 5.0Higher | World Bank, 2025 |
| Inflation% | 2.9Higher | 0.1 | United States: 2024; China: 2025 · World Bank |
| Reserves, including gold | US$910 billion | US$3.46 trillionHigher | World Bank, 2024 |
| Military spending, share of GDP% of GDP | 3.1Higher | 1.7 | World Bank, 2025 |
| Military spending | US$954 billionHigher | US$336 billion | World Bank, 2025. In US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. |
| Arms exportsTIV m | 13,984Higher | 880 | SIPRI, 2025. Trend-indicator value (TIV): SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons. |
| Arms importsTIV m | 746Higher | 207 | SIPRI, 2025. Trend-indicator value (TIV): SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons. |
| CO2 emissionsMt | 4,904 | 12,289Higher | Global Carbon Budget, 2024 |
| CO2 per persont | 14.2Higher | 8.7 | Global Carbon Budget, 2024 |
| Satellites in orbit | 14,005Higher | 1,714 | Orbital data from CelesTrak, 2026 |
| Orbital launches | 131Higher | 75 | Orbital data from CelesTrak, 2026 |
| Share of documented AI supercomputer power% | 81Higher | 6.9 | Epoch AI, 2025 |
| Life expectancy | 79.3Higher | 78.0 | UN WPP 2024, 2023 |
| Median age | 38.0 | 39.1Higher | UN WPP 2024, 2023 |
- GDP
- United StatesUS$30.77 trillionHigher
- ChinaUS$19.50 trillion
- Population
- United States342 million
- China1.41 billionHigher
- GDP per person
- United StatesUS$90,027Higher
- ChinaUS$13,862
- Economic growth%
- United States2.2
- China5.0Higher
- Inflation%
- United States2.9Higher
- China0.1
- Reserves, including gold
- United StatesUS$910 billion
- ChinaUS$3.46 trillionHigher
- Military spending, share of GDP% of GDP
- United States3.1Higher
- China1.7
- Military spending
- United StatesUS$954 billionHigher
- ChinaUS$336 billion
- Arms exportsTIV m
- United States13,984Higher
- China880
- Arms importsTIV m
- United States746Higher
- China207
- CO2 emissionsMt
- United States4,904
- China12,289Higher
- CO2 per persont
- United States14.2Higher
- China8.7
- Satellites in orbit
- United States14,005Higher
- China1,714
- Orbital launches
- United States131Higher
- China75
- Share of documented AI supercomputer power%
- United States81Higher
- China6.9
- Life expectancy
- United States79.3Higher
- China78.0
- Median age
- United States38.0
- China39.1Higher
GDP: over time
Both on the same scale.
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025
Military spending, share of GDP: over time
Both on the same scale.
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025
Share of world production
Share of world mine production (primary production for gallium) in 2025, for minerals where either has at least 1%.
- Gallium (primary production)
- United StatesNot listed by USGS
- China99%
- Tungsten
- United StatesNot listed by USGS
- China79%
- Natural graphite
- United StatesNot listed by USGS
- China78%
- Rare earths
- United States13%
- China69%
- Lithium
- United StatesNot listed by USGS
- China21%
- Palladium
- United States3.2%
- ChinaNot listed by USGS
- Nickel
- United States0.3%
- China3.1%
– Not listed by USGS. USGS names the largest producers of each mineral, so a country it does not list has no published share, which is not the same as zero.
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries2025, estimatedEstimate