China GDP by Year: 1949–2025
Complete historical table of China's annual GDP from the founding of the PRC in 1949 through 2024. Data in 100 million CNY (亿元). Source: National Bureau of Statistics.
Key Milestones
Historical GDP Table (Selected Years)
| Year | GDP (100M CNY) | GDP (Trillion CNY) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 557.9 | 0.1 | PRC founded |
| 1950 | 679.1 | 0.1 | |
| 1952 | 827.2 | 0.1 | Post-war recovery |
| 1955 | 1,021 | 0.1 | |
| 1960 | 1,457 | 0.1 | |
| 1965 | 1,716 | 0.2 | |
| 1970 | 2,252 | 0.2 | |
| 1975 | 2,997 | 0.3 | |
| 1978 | 3,679 | 0.4 | Reform & Opening Up |
| 1980 | 4,588 | 0.5 | |
| 1985 | 9,098 | 0.9 | |
| 1990 | 18,873 | 1.9 | |
| 1995 | 61,340 | 6.1 | |
| 2000 | 100,280 | 10.0 | WTO accession era |
| 2005 | 187,319 | 18.7 | |
| 2008 | 319,516 | 32.0 | Beijing Olympics |
| 2010 | 412,119 | 41.2 | World's 2nd largest |
| 2015 | 688,858 | 68.9 | |
| 2019 | 990,865 | 99.1 | |
| 2020 | 1,013,567 | 101.4 | COVID year |
| 2021 | 1,143,670 | 114.4 | |
| 2022 | 1,210,207 | 121.0 | |
| 2023 | 1,260,582 | 126.1 | |
| 2024 | 1,348,517 | 134.9 | Latest official |
China's Economic History: Five Eras of Growth
1949–1960: Post-War Foundation
When the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, GDP stood at just ¥557.9 billion CNY. The economy was overwhelmingly agrarian, devastated by decades of civil war and Japanese occupation. The First Five-Year Plan (1953–1957), modelled on the Soviet system, prioritised heavy industry and brought initial growth. However, the Great Leap Forward (1958–1962) caused a sharp reversal: GDP fell from ¥1,457B in 1960 to ¥1,165B in 1962 as mismanaged collectivisation led to widespread famine.
1960–1978: Slow Recovery and Cultural Revolution
Growth resumed through the mid-1960s but was interrupted again by the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976). GDP in 1976 was ¥2,993.6 billion CNY — a period of political upheaval that suppressed economic activity and education. Despite this, the economy was roughly twice its 1960 size by 1978, when GDP reached ¥3,679 billion CNY.
1978–2001: Reform and Opening Up
Deng Xiaoping's Reform and Opening Up policy, launched in 1978, is the single most important inflection point in modern Chinese economic history. Special Economic Zones attracted foreign investment, private enterprise was legalised, and agriculture was decollectivised. GDP grew from ¥3,679B in 1978 to ¥100,280B in 2000 — a 27× increase in 22 years, averaging over 9% annually. Per capita incomes rose dramatically, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty.
2001–2015: WTO Era and Export Boom
China's WTO accession in 2001 turbocharged export-led growth. Bilateral trade with the United States, Germany, and Japan surged. GDP rose from ¥10T in 2000 to ¥68.9T in 2015. China overtook Japan as the world's second-largest economy in 2010, when GDP reached ¥41.2T. The 2008 Beijing Olympics coincided with GDP of ¥31.9T.
2015–Present: Rebalancing and Slowdown
Growth has moderated since 2015 as China shifts from investment-driven expansion toward consumption and services. GDP crossed ¥100T in 2020 (the COVID year) and reached ¥134.9T in 2024. Annual growth is now 4–5%, compared to the double-digit rates of earlier decades. Trade patterns are also shifting — see China's bilateral trade data by country for the latest monthly export and import figures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was China's GDP in 1949?
China's GDP in 1949 was ¥557.9 billion CNY (approximately $14.5 billion USD at the time), the year the People's Republic of China was founded. The economy was primarily agricultural and recovering from decades of war.
What was China's GDP in 1978 (Reform era start)?
China's GDP in 1978 was ¥3,679 billion CNY (~$216 billion USD). This is the critical baseline: Deng Xiaoping launched the Reform and Opening Up policy that year, transforming China into the world's fastest-growing major economy.
What was China's GDP in 2000?
China's GDP in 2000 was approximately ¥10.0 trillion CNY ($1.21 trillion USD). China joined the WTO the following year in 2001, which accelerated growth to double-digit rates for the next decade.
What is China's GDP in 2024 or 2025?
China's official GDP in 2024 was ¥134.9 trillion CNY (~$18.7 trillion USD), making China the world's second-largest economy by nominal GDP. Full 2025 annual data is expected in early 2026.
How much has China's GDP grown since 1978?
China's GDP grew from ¥3,679 billion CNY in 1978 to ¥134,852 billion CNY in 2024 — a 37× increase, averaging around 9% annual real growth. This is often described as "the greatest economic transformation in history."
Want the complete dataset?
Full annual data 1949–2024, free CSV download and API access.