Labor force in China: 767.6 million (Labor force, 2025 · 1st of 184). Labor force (people) in China: 767.6 million in 2025, ranking 1st of 184 countries. In 2010 it was 773.9 million.
Data last updated · Period: 2010–2025
Understanding the chart
The line chart above tracks labor force (people) in China for each year from 2010 to 2025, 16 data points in all. Each dot is one year; the first and last years and the highest point are labelled with their values, and the vertical scale is in people. All values in this period were above zero. The data table below the chart lists every value, and you can download the data, embed the chart or share it from the buttons above. The figures cover 2010–2025 and come from World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0).
Key insights
- Between 2010 and 2025, China's labor force fell from 773.9 million to 767.6 million, a change of -0.8% (about -0.1% a year on average).
- The highest value in this period was 781.2 million in 2021; the lowest was 760.9 million in 2020.
- Recently, the figure has fallen in each of the last two years (2024: 768.2 million; 2025: 767.6 million).
- That is 79% lower than the world figure of 3.7 billion.
- China has the 1st-highest value of 184 countries with recent data.
- China has the highest value of the 7 countries in Eastern Asia with recent data; the typical (median) value there is 17.7 million.
Analysis
Averaged over periods, the figure was 778.2 million in 2010 to 2014, 778.8 million in 2015 to 2019 and 770.4 million in 2020 onwards. The value went up in 7 of the 15 year-to-year steps and down in 8. The biggest one-year rise came in 2021 (+20.3 million, or 2.7%). The biggest one-year fall came in 2020 (−15.1 million, or 1.9%). Across the period the values varied by about 1% around their average (775.5 million), a fairly steady path.
China and its neighbours
Labor force (people) among 7 countries in Eastern Asia with recent data, ranked from highest to lowest.
| Rank in region | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 767.6 million | 2025 |
| 2 | Japan | 69.4 million | 2025 |
| 3 | South Korea | 29.8 million | 2025 |
| 4 | North Korea | 17.7 million | 2025 |
| 5 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 3.8 million | 2025 |
| 6 | Mongolia | 1.5 million | 2025 |
| 7 | Macao SAR, China | 396,773 | 2025 |
China on related measures
- Unemployment (% of labor force): 4.6% (2025, 109th-highest of 184 countries)
- Employment to population ratio (% of people 15+): 61.6% (2025, 61st-highest of 184 countries)
- Women in the labor force (% of women 15+): 59.1% (2025, 54th-highest of 184 countries)
- GDP per person (current US$): $13,862 (2025, 88th-highest of 204 countries)
- GDP growth (annual %): 5.0% (2025, 51st-highest of 204 countries)
Global position: China's figure is higher than 100% of the 184 countries with data for this measure.
What it means
For businesses and investors, the figure is most useful alongside related measures for the same country, such as growth, inflation, population and incomes, and compared with similar countries. Compared with its neighbours in Eastern Asia, where the typical value is 17.7 million, China is 43.4 times the regional median.
About this statistic
The number of people aged 15 and over who are working or looking for work. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators.
For the full definition, caveats and every country ranked, see Labor force (people) by country, 2025.
Questions and answers
What is the labor force (people) in China?
767.6 million (Labor force, 2025 · 1st of 184). Labor force (people) in China: 767.6 million in 2025, ranking 1st of 184 countries. In 2010 it was 773.9 million.
How has labor force in China changed since 2010?
Between 2010 and 2025, China's labor force fell from 773.9 million to 767.6 million, a change of -0.8% (about -0.1% a year on average). The highest value in this period was 781.2 million in 2021; the lowest was 760.9 million in 2020.
How this page was made
Generated by Advanton from World Bank, World Development Indicators (2010–2025), data updated 8 November 2026: chart, ranks, comparisons and text are computed from the published figures; no figures are changed. About the data.
Data
| Year | Labor force (people) |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 773.9 million |
| 2011 | 778.3 million |
| 2012 | 779.0 million |
| 2013 | 779.3 million |
| 2014 | 780.4 million |
| 2015 | 781.1 million |
| 2016 | 780.9 million |
| 2017 | 779.2 million |
| 2018 | 776.9 million |
| 2019 | 775.9 million |
| 2020 | 760.9 million |
| 2021 | 781.2 million |
| 2022 | 770.1 million |
| 2023 | 774.6 million |
| 2024 | 768.2 million |
| 2025 | 767.6 million |
Source and notes
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Period: 2010–2025. Coverage: China.
The number of people aged 15 and over who are working or looking for work. The pool of potential workers and, broadly, of earning customers.
Cite this statistic
Please also credit the original source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0).Related statistics
- Labor force (people) by country, 2025
- Labor force (people) in Hong Kong SAR, China, 2010–2025
- Labor force (people) in Japan, 2010–2025
- Labor force (people) in South Korea, 2010–2025
- Labor force (people) in Macao SAR, China, 2010–2025
- GDP of China, 2010–2025
- Economic growth (GDP growth) in China, 2010–2025
- GDP per person in China, 2010–2025
- GDP per person, adjusted for prices (PPP, international $) in China, 2010–2024
All China data: economy, people, jobs and digital in one place
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