The USA has the world's largest economy ($25.5T GDP), highest military spending, and leads in technology innovation. China has the largest population (1.4B), second largest economy ($17.7T), and is the world's manufacturing hub.
USA vs China — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
High-income developed economy with largest nominal GDP and highest per capita income globally
Upper-middle-income nation with world's 2nd-largest economy and dominant manufacturing base
GDP. Population. Military Spending. GDP per Capita. Manufacturing Output
The USA leads in per-capita wealth, military, and tech. China leads in manufacturing, population, and growth rate. The rivalry defines the 21st century.
United States: $25.5 Trillion | China: $17.7 Trillion
United States: $877 Billion | China: $292 Billion
United States: 76.4 years | China: 77.5 years
United States: 9.8 Million | China: 9,596,961 km²
United States: $30+ trillion | China: $33-34 trillion
United States: ~18% | China: 35% of global output
United States: Global leader (Intel, NVIDIA, TSMC partners) | China: Limited by export controls
United States: Lower exposure (potential beneficiary) | China: $400-800 billion potential loss
United States: Potential +0.5% from policy | China: -0.5 to -2.0%
United States: 0.5%+ (estimated) | China: 0.2-0.3%
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
United States: Minimal (<5%) | China: 94%
United States: Minimal exposure | China: -0.5 to -2% ($400-800B reduction)
United States: $27.4 trillion | China: $17.9T
Government Education Expenditure Per Capita
United States: $11,109.2 billion | China: $6,177.1 billion
United States: $925.8 billion | China: $296.5 billion
United States: $2,174.6 billion | China: $1,272.4 billion
United States: 0.34 billion | China: 1.4 billion
United States: 3,794,100 sq mi | China: N/A
United States: $27.4 trillion | China: $20.6 trillion
United States: Rank 1 (global superpower) | China: N/A
United States: Reference (leader) | China: N/A
Years to Close GDP Gap (at current growth rates)
United States: N/A (declining relative position) | China: N/A
United States: Minimal direct impact | China: N/A
United States: Global leader in chip design | China: N/A
United States: 339.1 million | China: 1.42 billion
United States: 136 companies | China: 95 companies
United States: 312 million | China: 926 million
United States: $27.8 trillion | China: $29.8 trillion
United States: $2.1 trillion | China: $4.7 trillion
United States: $36 trillion | China: $13.5 trillion
United States: $26.9 trillion | China: $35.2 trillion
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (2025)
United States: $285 billion | China: $192 billion
United States: $27.36 trillion | China: N/A
United States: 38 years | China: 38 years
United States: 0.921 | China: 0.796 (Very High)
United States: $28.1 trillion | China: $29.8 trillion
United States: $285 billion | China: $163 billion
United States: $820 billion | China: $230 billion
United States: 1.3 million | China: 2.0 million
United States: 12,400 papers | China: 18,600 papers
United States: 352,000 patents | China: 635,000 patents
United States: 400,000 base stations | China: 1.2 million base stations
United States: $28.7 trillion | China: $27.9 trillion
United States: 375 million | China: 1,420 million
Annual GDP Per Capita Growth (2020-2026)
United States: 340 million | China: 1,420 million
United States: $34.2 trillion | China: $7.1 trillion
United States: $28.7T | China: $17.9 trillion
United States: $27.4 trillion | China: $17.9 trillion
United States: $27.4 trillion | China: $17.8 trillion
Years to Double Per Capita GDP at Current Growth
United States: 39 years | China: 14 years
United States: N/A | China: $17.9 trillion
United States: N/A | China: $3.2 trillion
United States: N/A | China: One-party communist state
United States: N/A | China: 88 (not free)
United States: N/A | China: 40% (global EV sales)
United States: N/A | China: 1.42 billion
United States: N/A | China: €296.5 billion
United States: N/A | China: $163 billion
United States: N/A | China: $163.1 billion
United States: N/A | China: $850 billion
United States: N/A | China: 12% (design & manufacturing)
United States: N/A | China: $163 billion (2024)
United States: N/A | China: World's factory (services rising)
United States: N/A | China: Largest — ~29% of global value-added
Years to Double GDP at Current Growth Rate
United States: N/A | China: $1,830 billion
United States: N/A | China: $189 billion
United States: N/A | China: $3,590 billion
United States: N/A | China: 1,200 thousand
United States: N/A | China: 0.796 (High)
Industrial robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers
United States: N/A | China: 1,600k filings
How to choose between United States and China
USA vs China — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for USA vs China. Contains 205 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
USA vs China — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for USA vs China.
Which country has the larger economy — the US or China?
It depends on the measure. By nominal GDP, the United States is larger at approximately $30.7 trillion (2025) vs China's $17.7 trillion. By purchasing power parity (PPP), which adjusts for domestic price levels, China has been the world's largest economy since around 2016.
How does US military power compare to China's?
The US has significantly greater global power projection, with 11 carrier strike groups, 750+ overseas bases, and a defense budget of ~$886 billion. China's PLA has more personnel (~2 million vs 1.3 million) and has developed area-denial capabilities (DF-21D/DF-26 missiles) designed to offset US advantages in the Western Pacific.
Is China's population larger than the US population?
Yes. China has approximately 1.4 billion people; the United States has approximately 340 million. However, China's population is now declining due to the legacy of the one-child policy, while the US population continues to grow modestly through immigration.
Who leads in artificial intelligence — the US or China?
The US leads in frontier AI model development and semiconductor design; China leads in AI deployment at scale (particularly in surveillance and manufacturing). US export controls on advanced chips since 2022 have constrained China's access to the most powerful hardware but have accelerated domestic chip investment.
How do the US and China differ politically?
The United States is a constitutional federal democracy with free elections, protected speech, and an independent judiciary. China is governed by the Chinese Communist Party as a one-party state, with the party controlling media, internet access, and civil society. Both systems have produced rapid economic development, but with fundamentally different approaches to individual rights and state power.
How to Choose Between United States and China
GDP: United States has $25.5T, while China has $17.7T.
Population: United States has 333M, while China has 1.4B.
Military Spending: United States has $877B, while China has $292B.
GDP per Capita: United States has $76,300, while China has $12,500.
Manufacturing Output: United States has #2, while China has #1.