How much coast is there?

China’s coastline is 5.9 times as long as Iran’s.

China: 14,500 km (2026 edition) · Iran: 2,440 km (2026 edition)

How high can you climb?

China’s highest peak towers 3,224 m above Iran’s.

China: 8,849 m (2026 edition) · Iran: 5,625 m (2026 edition)

How many people live there?

China has 15 times as many people as Iran.

China: 1.41 billion (2025) · Iran: 92.4 million (2025)

How crowded is it?

China is 2.6 times as densely populated as Iran.

China: 150 per km² (2025) · Iran: 57 per km² (2025)

How old is the typical person?

The typical person in China is 6.2 years older than in Iran.

China: 39.1 years (2023) · Iran: 32.9 years (2023)

How many children per woman?

Women in Iran have 0.7 more children on average than in China.

China: 1.01 children per woman (2024) · Iran: 1.68 children per woman (2024)

How many people are 65 or older?

15% of people in China are 65 or older, versus 8.6% in Iran.

China: 14.9% (2025) · Iran: 8.6% (2025)

How many Nobel laureates were born there?

Iran has produced 0.3 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, China 0.1.

China: 0.1 (2025) · Iran: 0.3 (2025)

How many official languages?

China and Iran are practically level.

China: 1 (2026) · Iran: 1 (2026)

How big is the economy?

China’s economy is 54 times the size of Iran’s.

China: $19.5 trillion (2025) · Iran: $363 billion (2025)

How much is produced per person?

China produces 49% more per person than Iran.

China: Int$29,333 (2025) · Iran: Int$19,699 (2025)

How evenly is income shared?

China and Iran are practically level.

China: 36 (2022) · Iran: 35.9 (2023)

How many people are looking for work?

Unemployment is 8.3% in Iran, versus 4.6% in China.

China: 4.6% (2025) · Iran: 8.3% (2025)

How much goes to the military?

Iran and China are practically level.

China: 1.7% (2024) · Iran: 2% (2024)

How expensive is it?

China’s price level (US = 100) is 2.4× Iran’s.

China: 47% (2025) · Iran: 20% (2025)

How much is spent on health?

China spends 2.9 times as much on health per person as Iran.

China: $763 (2023) · Iran: $267 (2023)

How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?

A baby in Iran is 2.5 times as likely to die before turning one as in China.

China: 4.1 per 1,000 (2024) · Iran: 10.3 per 1,000 (2024)

How many doctors are there?

China has 72% more doctors per person than Iran.

China: 3.1 per 1,000 (2022) · Iran: 1.8 per 1,000 (2023)

How common is obesity?

26% of adults in Iran are obese, versus 9.1% in China.

China: 9.1% (2024) · Iran: 25.7% (2024)

How many adults smoke?

23% of adults in China smoke, versus 12% in Iran.

China: 22.8% (2024) · Iran: 11.9% (2024)

How do people rate their lives?

People in China rate their lives 0.92 points higher than in Iran.

China: 6.07 (2025) · Iran: 5.15 (2025)

How much do people drink?

Adults in China drink 178 times as much alcohol as in Iran.

China: 3.7 litres (2023) · Iran: 0.021 litres (2023)

How much meat is on the menu?

China has 2.5 times as much meat per person as Iran.

China: 73.5 kg (2023) · Iran: 29.9 kg (2023)

How much food is there per day?

China has 652 kcal more food per person per day than Iran.

China: 3,527 kcal (2023) · Iran: 2,875 kcal (2023)

How long do people work?

Workers in China put in 82 more hours a year than in Iran.

China: 2,328 hours (2023) · Iran: 2,246 hours (2023)

How long do people go to school?

Adults in Iran went to school 2.8 years longer than in China.

China: 8 years (2023) · Iran: 10.8 years (2023)

How many tourists visit?

China: 0.05 (2019) · Iran: no data

How many people are online?

92% of people in China are online, versus 85% in Iran.

China: 92% (2025) · Iran: 85% (2024)

Who has electricity at home?

China and Iran are practically level.

China: 100% (2024) · Iran: 100% (2024)

How many live in cities?

77% of people in Iran live in cities, versus 66% in China.

China: 66% (2025) · Iran: 77% (2025)

How many phones per person?

Iran has 174 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, China 132.

China: 132 (2024) · Iran: 174 (2024)

How much railway is there?

China’s railway network is 12 times as long as Iran’s.

China: 109,767 km (2021) · Iran: 9,455 km (2021)

How much do they fly?

Airlines from China fly 2.3 times as many passengers per resident as those from Iran.

China: 0.44 (2023) · Iran: 0.2 (2023)

How much of the land is forest?

Forest covers 24% of China, but only 6.6% of Iran.

China: 24% (2023) · Iran: 6.6% (2023)

How much CO₂ does each person emit?

China and Iran are nearly identical here.

China: 8.7 t (2024) · Iran: 8.7 t (2024)

How green is the power grid?

37% of China’s electricity is renewable, versus 3.8% in Iran.

China: 37% (2025) · Iran: 3.8% (2025)

How clean is the air?

The air in Iran carries 20% more fine dust than in China.

China: 31.3 µg/m³ (2024) · Iran: 37.7 µg/m³ (2024)

How common is murder?

You are 4.7 times as likely to be murdered in Iran as in China.

China: 0.5 per 100k (2020) · Iran: 2.4 per 100k (2014)

How dangerous are the roads?

Roads in Iran are 18% deadlier than in China.

China: 17.4 per 100k (2021) · Iran: 20.6 per 100k (2021)

How warm is it?

Iran is on average 11.5 °C warmer than China.

China: 7.8°C (2016–2025 avg) · Iran: 19.3°C (2016–2025 avg)

How much rain falls?

China gets 3 times as much rain as Iran.

China: 813 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Iran: 272 mm (2016–2025 avg)