China vs France: Cumulative number of objects launched into space
China
1,759 objects
in 2025
France
200 objects
in 2025
China rank
3rd
France rank
6th
Cumulative number of objects launched into space over time
- China
- France
How they compare
China currently reports 1,759 objects against 200 objects in France, a difference of 1,559 objects.
That makes China's figure about 8.8 times France's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 38 shared years of data; in 1970 it was France ahead.
China ranks 3rd and France ranks 6th of 50 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, China averaged higher in 4 and France in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | France | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3 objects | 12.75 objects | 9.75 objects | France |
| 1980s | 20.25 objects | 24.75 objects | 4.5 objects | France |
| 1990s | 44.62 objects | 36.5 objects | 8.12 objects | China |
| 2000s | 115.86 objects | 54.14 objects | 61.71 objects | China |
| 2010s | 314.22 objects | 101 objects | 213.22 objects | China |
| 2020s | 1,086 objects | 153.67 objects | 932.33 objects | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher cumulative number of objects launched into space, China or France?
- China, at 1,759 objects against 200 objects in France as of 2025.
- What is the difference in cumulative number of objects launched into space between China and France?
- 1,559 objects, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and France?
- 38 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do China and France rank globally for cumulative number of objects launched into space?
- China ranks 3rd and France ranks 6th of 50 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Cumulative number of objects launched into space. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Cumulative number of satellites, probes, landers, crewed spacecrafts, and space station flight elements, launched into Earth orbit or beyond.