China vs Iran: Human Development Index groups
China
0.797
in 2023
Iran
0.799
in 2023
China rank
78th
Iran rank
75th
Human Development Index groups over time
- China
- Iran
How they compare
Iran currently reports 0.799 against 0.797 in China, a difference of 0.002.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Iran ahead.
China ranks 78th and Iran ranks 75th of 192 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, China averaged higher in 1 and Iran in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Iran | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.5382 | 0.6683 | 0.1301 | Iran |
| 2000s | 0.6486 | 0.7429 | 0.0943 | Iran |
| 2010s | 0.7455 | 0.7898 | 0.0443 | Iran |
| 2020s | 0.7933 | 0.786 | 0.0072 | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher human development index groups, China or Iran?
- Iran, at 0.799 against 0.797 in China as of 2023.
- What is the difference in human development index groups between China and Iran?
- 0.002, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Iran?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do China and Iran rank globally for human development index groups?
- China ranks 78th and Iran ranks 75th of 192 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Human Development Index groups. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, a good education, and a decent standard of living. Higher values indicate higher human development.