China Demographic Profile

Total Population: 1,338,612,968 (July 2009 est.), ranked # 1.
Total Land and Water Area: 9,596,961 sq km, ranked #4 behind Canada (9,984,670 sq km) and United States (9,826,675 sq km).

Age Profile:

  • 0-14 years: 19.8%
  • 15-64 years: 72.1%
  • 65 years and over: 8.1%

Median age is 34.1, Average life expectancy is 73.47 years, ranked #108 in world

53 % Male
47 % Female

Ethnic groups: Han Chinese 91.5%, Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uyghur, Tujia, Yi, Mongol, Tibetan, Buyi, Dong, Yao, Korean, and other nationalities 8.5% (2000 census)

Religions: Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%, officially atheist (2002 est.)

Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 11 years

Literacy (defined as age 15 and over can read and write):90.9% of the total population

Per Capita Gross National Income (at current prices in US Dollars):
$6,500, ranked #128

Gross Domestic Product Contribution by Economic Sector and Top Industries:
40.5% Services
48.6% Industry
10.9% Agriculture
Industries: mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites

Sources:
1)  Central Intelligence Agency World Fact Book