Annual precipitation in China
China: Annual precipitation was 833.24 millimeters in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
833.24 millimeters
Change on year
down 3.8%
World rank
113th
of 192 countries
All-time high
1,011 millimeters
in 1946
All-time low
699.62 millimeters
in 2011
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Annual precipitation in China, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millimeters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual precipitation in China is 833.24 millimeters, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 3.8% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual precipitation in China peaked at 1,011 millimeters in 1946 and was at its lowest, 699.62 millimeters, in 2011.
That places China 113th out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 86 years of available data.
Annual precipitation in China, year by year
| Year | millimeters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 782.5 millimeters | — |
| 1941 | 792.47 millimeters | +1.3% |
| 1942 | 786.12 millimeters | -0.8% |
| 1943 | 848.56 millimeters | +7.9% |
| 1944 | 761.03 millimeters | -10.3% |
| 1945 | 742.51 millimeters | -2.4% |
| 1946 | 1,011 millimeters | +36.1% |
| 1947 | 866.67 millimeters | -14.2% |
| 1948 | 879.48 millimeters | +1.5% |
| 1949 | 902.92 millimeters | +2.7% |
| 1950 | 917.44 millimeters | +1.6% |
| 1951 | 973.7 millimeters | +6.1% |
| 1952 | 973.07 millimeters | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 899.66 millimeters | -7.5% |
| 1954 | 977.32 millimeters | +8.6% |
| 1955 | 867.52 millimeters | -11.2% |
| 1956 | 833.84 millimeters | -3.9% |
| 1957 | 830.65 millimeters | -0.4% |
| 1958 | 844.56 millimeters | +1.7% |
| 1959 | 826.6 millimeters | -2.1% |
| 1960 | 846.51 millimeters | +2.4% |
| 1961 | 932.49 millimeters | +10.2% |
| 1962 | 857.39 millimeters | -8.1% |
| 1963 | 862.66 millimeters | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 947.34 millimeters | +9.8% |
| 1965 | 866.08 millimeters | -8.6% |
| 1966 | 849.61 millimeters | -1.9% |
| 1967 | 871.64 millimeters | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 855.4 millimeters | -1.9% |
| 1969 | 844.94 millimeters | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 840.86 millimeters | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 849.99 millimeters | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 862.01 millimeters | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 913.84 millimeters | +6.0% |
| 1974 | 844.13 millimeters | -7.6% |
| 1975 | 883.61 millimeters | +4.7% |
| 1976 | 843.86 millimeters | -4.5% |
| 1977 | 846.05 millimeters | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 799.41 millimeters | -5.5% |
| 1979 | 820.33 millimeters | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 844.5 millimeters | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 873.27 millimeters | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 860.57 millimeters | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 918.15 millimeters | +6.7% |
| 1984 | 853.62 millimeters | -7.0% |
| 1985 | 883.48 millimeters | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 812.8 millimeters | -8.0% |
| 1987 | 886.08 millimeters | +9.0% |
| 1988 | 839.13 millimeters | -5.3% |
| 1989 | 847.73 millimeters | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 910.99 millimeters | +7.5% |
| 1991 | 859.73 millimeters | -5.6% |
| 1992 | 848.03 millimeters | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 899.76 millimeters | +6.1% |
| 1994 | 892.47 millimeters | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 860.51 millimeters | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 876.43 millimeters | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 844.04 millimeters | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 954.81 millimeters | +13.1% |
| 1999 | 854.09 millimeters | -10.5% |
| 2000 | 859 millimeters | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 809.04 millimeters | -5.8% |
| 2002 | 858.89 millimeters | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 824.71 millimeters | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 773.33 millimeters | -6.2% |
| 2005 | 809.4 millimeters | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 749.29 millimeters | -7.4% |
| 2007 | 756.86 millimeters | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 792.75 millimeters | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 728.45 millimeters | -8.1% |
| 2010 | 842.85 millimeters | +15.7% |
| 2011 | 699.62 millimeters | -17.0% |
| 2012 | 833.17 millimeters | +19.1% |
| 2013 | 781.85 millimeters | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 774.1 millimeters | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 810.22 millimeters | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 869.12 millimeters | +7.3% |
| 2017 | 784.52 millimeters | -9.7% |
| 2018 | 804.55 millimeters | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 775.07 millimeters | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 834.87 millimeters | +7.7% |
| 2021 | 827.31 millimeters | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 771.89 millimeters | -6.7% |
| 2023 | 764.63 millimeters | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 865.72 millimeters | +13.2% |
| 2025 | 833.24 millimeters | -3.8% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 833.24 millimeters is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,018 millimeters, 82% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- China's 833.24 millimeters is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,984 millimeters, 42% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 837.29 millimeters | 742.51 millimeters | 1,011 millimeters | 10 |
| 1950s | 894.43 millimeters | 826.6 millimeters | 977.32 millimeters | 10 |
| 1960s | 873.41 millimeters | 844.94 millimeters | 947.34 millimeters | 10 |
| 1970s | 850.41 millimeters | 799.41 millimeters | 913.84 millimeters | 10 |
| 1980s | 861.93 millimeters | 812.8 millimeters | 918.15 millimeters | 10 |
| 1990s | 880.09 millimeters | 844.04 millimeters | 954.81 millimeters | 10 |
| 2000s | 796.17 millimeters | 728.45 millimeters | 859 millimeters | 10 |
| 2010s | 797.51 millimeters | 699.62 millimeters | 869.12 millimeters | 10 |
| 2020s | 816.27 millimeters | 764.63 millimeters | 865.72 millimeters | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual precipitation in China?
- Annual precipitation in China was 833.24 millimeters in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual precipitation recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1,011 millimeters in 1946.
- What is the lowest annual precipitation recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 699.62 millimeters in 2011.
- How does China rank for annual precipitation?
- China ranks 113th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual precipitation rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual precipitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total annual precipitation—rain and snow—calculated as the sum of daily averages, reported as the depth of water falling to Earth's surface, excluding fog and dew.