Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions in China
China: Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions was 5.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions in China, 1961–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
China recorded 5.0% for annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions in 2025.
The figure is down 29.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions in China peaked at 19.3% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -27.3%, in 1961.
China ranks 54th of 212 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions in China, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -27.3% | — |
| 1962 | -5.6% | -79.5% |
| 1963 | 10.3% | -284.6% |
| 1964 | 18.2% | +76.5% |
| 1965 | 16.9% | -6.8% |
| 1966 | 10.7% | -37.2% |
| 1967 | -5.8% | -154.2% |
| 1968 | -4.1% | -28.9% |
| 1969 | 16.9% | -513.2% |
| 1970 | 19.3% | +13.9% |
| 1971 | 7.1% | -63.4% |
| 1972 | 3.8% | -46.0% |
| 1973 | 7.8% | +103.7% |
| 1974 | 2.3% | -70.2% |
| 1975 | 8.7% | +277.5% |
| 1976 | -1.6% | -118.0% |
| 1977 | 7.6% | -582.2% |
| 1978 | 11.3% | +49.6% |
| 1979 | 7.6% | -32.9% |
| 1980 | 7.8% | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 5.1% | -34.8% |
| 1982 | 9.0% | +76.4% |
| 1983 | 10.8% | +19.4% |
| 1984 | 15.2% | +41.0% |
| 1985 | 13.4% | -11.6% |
| 1986 | 8.9% | -33.4% |
| 1987 | 11.7% | +30.3% |
| 1988 | 11.2% | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 4.2% | -62.5% |
| 1990 | 3.9% | -6.8% |
| 1991 | 9.4% | +139.0% |
| 1992 | 14.3% | +52.5% |
| 1993 | 13.9% | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 13.1% | -6.1% |
| 1995 | 11.0% | -15.8% |
| 1996 | 10.0% | -9.5% |
| 1997 | 9.3% | -6.8% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | -14.8% |
| 1999 | 7.7% | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 8.6% | +10.8% |
| 2001 | 8.3% | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 9.2% | +11.0% |
| 2003 | 10.1% | +9.5% |
| 2004 | 10.1% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 11.5% | +12.9% |
| 2006 | 12.7% | +10.7% |
| 2007 | 14.2% | +11.6% |
| 2008 | 9.7% | -31.7% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 10.6% | +12.6% |
| 2011 | 9.5% | -10.7% |
| 2012 | 7.9% | -17.0% |
| 2013 | 7.8% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 7.5% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 7.0% | -6.4% |
| 2016 | 6.8% | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 6.9% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 6.1% | -10.2% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -61.4% |
| 2021 | 8.6% | +266.3% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -63.4% |
| 2023 | 5.4% | +72.8% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | -8.5% |
| 2025 | 5.0% | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 5.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.1%, 1.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 5.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.6%, 1.4× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +582.2% | -1.6% | 7.6% |
| 1969 | +513.2% | -4.1% | 16.9% |
| 1963 | +284.6% | -5.6% | 10.3% |
| 1975 | +277.5% | 2.3% | 8.7% |
| 2021 | +266.3% | 2.3% | 8.6% |
| 1967 | -154.2% | 10.7% | -5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.4% | -27.3% | 18.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.4% | -1.6% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.7% | 4.2% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.1% | 3.9% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.4% | 8.3% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.7% | 6.1% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.9% | 2.3% | 8.6% | 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 change in gdp and co₂ emissions in China?
- Annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions in China was 5.0% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 19.3% in 1970.
- What is the lowest annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -27.3% in 1961.
- How does China rank for annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions?
- China ranks 54th out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in gdp and co₂ emissions rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in GDP and CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Percentage change in gross domestic product (GDP) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.