China vs Russia — Country Comparison
China
RussiaChina and Russia side by side: Russia is the larger country (17,098,246 km² vs 9,706,961 km², roughly 1.8× the size), while China has the bigger population (1.4 billion vs 146 million). The full comparison table below covers capitals, currencies, languages, dialling codes, timezones and more.
Facts last checked 9 October 2026.
| Fact | China | Russia |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Beijing | Moscow |
| Population | 1,408,280,000 | 146,028,325 |
| Area | 9,706,961 km² | 17,098,246 km² |
| Currency | Chinese yuan | Russian ruble |
| Language | Chinese | Russian |
| Dialling code | +86 | +7 |
| Main timezone | UTC+08:00 | UTC+03:00 |
| Drives on the | Right | Right |
| Region | Eastern Asia | Eastern Europe |
| Emergency number | 110 (police) / 120 (ambulance) / 119 (fire) | 112 |
Key differences: China vs Russia
- China has about 9.6 times the population of Russia.
- Russia is about 1.8 times larger by area.
- China is the more densely populated of the two.
- They use different currencies: CNY and RUB.
- They do not share an official language.
- They share a land border.
- Their geographic centres are about 2,800 km apart.
- China is 5 hours ahead of Russia (UTC+08:00 vs UTC+03:00), not accounting for daylight saving changes.
Want the full picture for each country? See China and Russia, or compare their population pages: China · Russia.
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China vs Russia — FAQ
Which is bigger, China or Russia?
Russia is bigger by area: 17,098,246 km² vs 9,706,961 km², roughly 1.8× the size of China.
Is China bigger than Russia?
No — Russia is larger at 17,098,246 km² vs 9,706,961 km² for China.
Which has more people, China or Russia?
China has the larger population: 1,408,280,000 (1.4 billion) vs 146,028,325 (146 million).
How does the size of China compare to Russia?
Russia (17,098,246 km²) is about 1.8× larger than China (9,706,961 km²).
Do China and Russia use the same currency?
No — China uses the Chinese yuan and Russia uses the Russian ruble.
Are China and Russia on the same continent?
No — China is in Asia and Russia is in Europe.
What is the time difference between China and Russia?
China is 5 hours ahead of Russia (UTC+08:00 vs UTC+03:00), not accounting for daylight saving changes.
Do China and Russia share an official language?
No — China and Russia do not share an official language.
Do China and Russia share a border?
Yes — China and Russia share a land border.
Which is more densely populated, China or Russia?
China is more densely populated at roughly 145 people per km², compared to 9 for Russia.
How far is China from Russia?
The distance between the geographic centres of China and Russia is roughly 2,800 km (1,740 miles) in a straight line. Actual travel distances between cities will differ.
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