China vs India: Labor force, total
Labor force, total over time
- China
- India
How they compare
China currently reports 768.07 million against 617.62 million in India, a difference of 150.45 million.
That makes China's figure about 1.2 times India's.
Across all 36 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 1st and India ranks 2nd of 187 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 669.21 million | 349.10 million | 320.11 million | China |
| 2000s | 745.42 million | 443.89 million | 301.52 million | China |
| 2010s | 778.48 million | 497.44 million | 281.04 million | China |
| 2020s | 770.50 million | 577.94 million | 192.56 million | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force, total, China or India?
- China, at 768.07 million against 617.62 million in India as of 2025.
- What is the difference in labor force, total between China and India?
- 150.45 million, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do China and India rank globally for labor force, total?
- China ranks 1st and India ranks 2nd of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as Labor force, total. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.