China vs India — Country Comparison
China
IndiaChina and India side by side: China is the larger country (9,706,961 km² vs 3,287,263 km², roughly 3.0× the size), while India has the bigger population (1.4 billion vs 1.4 billion). The full comparison table below covers capitals, currencies, languages, dialling codes, timezones and more.
Facts last checked 9 October 2026.
| Fact | China | India |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Beijing | New Delhi |
| Population | 1,408,280,000 | 1,417,492,000 |
| Area | 9,706,961 km² | 3,287,263 km² |
| Currency | Chinese yuan | Indian rupee |
| Languages | Chinese | Hindi, English, Tamil |
| Dialling code | +86 | +91 |
| Main timezone | UTC+08:00 | UTC+05:30 |
| Drives on the | Right | Left |
| Region | Eastern Asia | Southern Asia |
| Emergency number | 110 (police) / 120 (ambulance) / 119 (fire) | 112 |
Key differences: China vs India
- India has a slightly larger population than China.
- China is about 3.0 times larger by area.
- India is the more densely populated of the two.
- They use different currencies: CNY and INR.
- They do not share an official language.
- They share a land border.
- Their geographic centres are about 3,210 km apart.
- China is 2 hours 30 minutes ahead of India (UTC+08:00 vs UTC+05:30), not accounting for daylight saving changes.
Want the full picture for each country? See China and India, or compare their population pages: China · India.
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China vs India — FAQ
Which is bigger, China or India?
China is bigger by area: 9,706,961 km² vs 3,287,263 km², roughly 3.0× the size of India.
Is China bigger than India?
Yes — China covers 9,706,961 km², compared to 3,287,263 km² for India.
Which has more people, China or India?
India has the larger population: 1,417,492,000 (1.4 billion) vs 1,408,280,000 (1.4 billion).
How does the size of China compare to India?
China (9,706,961 km²) is about 3.0× larger than India (3,287,263 km²).
Do China and India use the same currency?
No — China uses the Chinese yuan and India uses the Indian rupee.
Are China and India on the same continent?
Yes — both are in Asia.
What is the time difference between China and India?
China is 2 hours 30 minutes ahead of India (UTC+08:00 vs UTC+05:30), not accounting for daylight saving changes.
Do China and India share an official language?
No — China and India do not share an official language.
Do China and India share a border?
Yes — China and India share a land border.
Which is more densely populated, China or India?
India is more densely populated at roughly 431 people per km², compared to 145 for China.
How far is China from India?
The distance between the geographic centres of China and India is roughly 3,210 km (1,990 miles) in a straight line. Actual travel distances between cities will differ.
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