China: 2,000 Years of Income and Population Growth

by Catherine Mulbrandon

in Country Growth last 2000 years, VE Infographics

This graph shows the dramatic change in China’s population and GDP per capita (especially in the last 200 years). Compare this to the graph of the World that I created earlier.

{Click on the image to take a closer look}

Data estimates for population and GDP per capita are from Angus Maddison Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Economics, University of Groningen. 1990 international Geary-Khamis dollars are purchasing power parities (PPPs) used to evaluate output which are calculated based on international prices. See United Nations Statistics Division for more information their computation.

[tags]income distribution, population, GDP per Capita, economic history, income, history, China[/tags]

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Tagged as: Angus Maddison, Bubble Chart, China, CIA, GDP, GDP per Capita, Population, World

Mehda Bisht

The chart appears to show that the population for China was unchaged from 0 to 1000 AD. That is clearly wrong. Scholars over the last two decades have estimated that China under the Tang dynasty had a population anywhere between 75 million to as high as 120 million. Even if we assume the low end estimate of 75 million, that is higher than the population of about 60 million during the Han dynasty (~1st century). Also, it is largely accepted by scholars that the Song dynasty had a population of at least 100 million by 1100, and that excludes territories ruled by other dynasties. It is unlikely that the population stayed at about 60 milion (according to the graph) and leaped to 100 million in less than a century.