East Asia
Living in China
Photo: Great Wall of China at Jinshanling · Severin.stalder, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
A vast country with megacities, a huge high-speed rail network and climates from subarctic north to tropical south. Editorial
The numbers
Main city climate4° to 29°CColdest and warmest month averages, Shanghai · 2020
Average temperature16.9°CShanghai (whole country 7.6°C) · 2020
Price level48%Of US prices for everyday goods and services · 2025
Average spending$899Per person per month (international $, PPP) · 2024
Income per person$29,300GDP per person a year (international $, PPP) · 2025
Unemployment4.6%Of the labour force · 2025
Homicides0.5Per 100,000 people a year · 2020
Life expectancy78.0 yearsAt birth · 2024
Clean air32 µg/m³Average fine-particle pollution (WHO guideline: 5) · 2023
Forest24%Of the land area · 2024
City dwellers66%Of people live in cities and towns · 2025
Tax revenue7.0%Of GDP · 2024
Language and getting around Editorial
- Languages: Chinese (Mandarin). Limited English in daily life.
- Public transport: Extensive: most people can live without a car in the big cities.
- Geography: Has a coastline, with mountain areas. Capital: Beijing.
Moving to China
Visa and residence rules depend on your nationality, job, studies and family, and they change often. Start with the government's own website: en.nia.gov.cn.
Sources
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| GDP per person (PPP) | 29,333.33 international $ | 2025 | World Bank WDI |
| Unemployment | 4.62 % of labour force | 2025 | World Bank WDI (ILO estimate) |
| Intentional homicides | 0.5 per 100,000 people | 2020 | World Bank WDI (UNODC) |
| Political stability and absence of violence | 0.02 score, -2.5 to 2.5 | 2025 | Worldwide Governance Indicators |
| Government effectiveness (public services) | 0.62 score, -2.5 to 2.5 | 2025 | Worldwide Governance Indicators |
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.02 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Health spending per person | 763.38 US$ per person | 2023 | World Bank WDI (WHO) |
| Tax revenue | 7.02 % of GDP | 2024 | World Bank WDI (IMF) |
| People living in cities and towns | 66.34 % of population | 2025 | World Bank WDI (UN) |
| Forest area | 24.02 % of land | 2024 | World Bank WDI (FAO) |
| Fine-particle air pollution (PM2.5) | 31.99 µg/m³, annual mean | 2023 | World Bank WDI |
| Price level of household goods and services | 0.48 ratio, United States = 1 | 2025 | Calculated: PPP conversion factor (private consumption) / official exchange rate, World Bank WDI |
| Average household spending per person | 899 international $ per person per month | 2024 | Calculated: household consumption (PPP) / population / 12, World Bank WDI |
| Average temperature, whole country 1991-2020 | 7.6 °C | 2020 | World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (CRU TS 4.08, 1991-2020) |
| Average temperature, main city | 16.9 °C | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
| Coldest month average, main city | 4.4 °C | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
| Warmest month average, main city | 28.5 °C | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
| Rainfall, main city | 1,285 mm per year | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
Data checked 2 November 2026. National averages hide differences between cities and regions. Climate figures for Shanghai are 2001–2020 averages.
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