How Big Is China? Compare Its Size in Miles, Acres, Kilometers, and More!

The People’s Republic of China is a vast nation that is home to over a billion people. The history of the region is well-documented and stretches back thousands of years. Today, the country is a global economic powerhouse that continues to take on larger roles on the world stage. So, how big is China and how does it compare in size to other large countries and areas? Those are the questions we are going to look at today!

How Many Acres Is China?

China is 2,371,460,480 acres in size. That makes it one of the top 5 largest countries in the world.

How Many Square Miles is China?

China measures about 3,705,407 square miles. That makes the country smaller than the United States but larger than Brazil.

How Many Square Kilometers Is China?

According to the Central Intelligence Agency, China is 9,596,960 square kilometers large. The country has roughly 22,457 km of borders with other areas.  

China’s Measurements

China is 3,705,407 square miles, 9,596,960 square kilometers, and 2,371,460,480 acres in total size. These measurements make the country the fourth largest in the entire world, behind Russia, Canada, and the United States of America.

However, these figures could change. These measurements stem from governments that do not recognize China’s claim to some territories. As a result, other measures for the country may exist, and the country’s size could change in the future. For now, though, these measurements provide a good idea of the country’s size.

How Big Is China Compared to the United States and Other Countries?

Three countries have more area than China. They are Russia, Canada, and the United States of America. The country closest to China in terms of overall area is the United States. The U.S. is still about 90,000 square miles larger. Nevertheless, China is a very large country. The second, third, and fourth largest countries in the world are all within 150,000 square miles in total size of each other.

The country is about 3,200 miles when measured from east to west, and it is another 3,400 miles from its northernmost regions to its southernmost areas.

The fifth largest country in the world is Brazil, a nation that is about 400,000 square miles smaller than the People’s Republic of China.

China Compared to Europe

Europe is larger than China. While that may seem somewhat obvious, the point is that a single country is almost as large as the entire continent depending on where one places the borders of Europe. Although Europe is larger than China, it has a smaller population. Based on data from 2018, the population of Europe was just 745 million people. That makes the population of this region smaller than China by about 700 million individuals.  

About China

China is the largest country in Asia, and it stretches far from Central Asia to East Asia. The vast country shares a border with 14 different countries on land. The country also has about 9,000 miles of coastline on the Pacific Ocean.

The country contains multitudes in the sense that it has massive cities along with huge sparsely inhabited regions. Many of the largest cities in China are concentrated in the eastern areas of the nation. Also, the country has all manners of different landscapes. The country has dense jungles, deserts, mountains, and various climate zones throughout.

Furthermore, the country has incredibly long rivers, many of them complete with hydroelectric generation facilities. The country has sprawling cities and gigantic amounts of economic power.

Also, China is home to huge numbers of unique animals, including:

• Tigers
• Asian elephants
• Giant pandas
• Snow leopards
• Chinese alligators
• Chinese pangolins

It is very hard to understate the diversity of the flora and fauna living in this country.

The Country’s Population

Currently, China has the second-highest population of any country in the world. An estimated 1.41 billion people live in the country as of July 2023. India is the only country with a higher population than China. A recent U.N. estimate says that 1,425,775,850 people live in India.

Another interesting part of the U.N. report is the suggestion that China’s population could drop below 1 billion near the end of the century.

China’s vast population is concentrated mostly in the eastern part of the country. The urban areas in this section of the country are attractive to people trying to make a living. Shanghai is the largest city in the entire country. The city is home to about 24.9 million people. Shanghai is especially important for manufacturing, research, finance, and shipping, contributing over $1 trillion to the economy.

Beijing is China’s capital city, and it’s the most populated city of any national capital in the world. Over 21 million people call this place home. The city is known for being a major business hub as well as a place where modern and traditional cultures collide.

So, how big is China? Well, the landmass is gigantic, and so is the population. The country is the fourth-largest in the world, and it is one of the biggest players on the world stage these days.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Sky_Blue