Average annual surface temperature in China
China: Average annual surface temperature was 8.21 °C in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
8.21 °C
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
174th
of 193 countries
All-time high
8.34 °C
in 2024
All-time low
5.63 °C
in 1957
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Average annual surface temperature in China, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in °C.
Analysis
China recorded 8.21 °C for average annual surface temperature in 2025.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual surface temperature in China peaked at 8.34 °C in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.63 °C, in 1957.
That places China 174th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Average annual surface temperature in China, year by year
| Year | °C | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 6.03 °C | — |
| 1941 | 6.47 °C | +7.2% |
| 1942 | 6.72 °C | +3.9% |
| 1943 | 6.63 °C | -1.3% |
| 1944 | 6.56 °C | -1.0% |
| 1945 | 6.17 °C | -5.9% |
| 1946 | 7.11 °C | +15.1% |
| 1947 | 6.51 °C | -8.4% |
| 1948 | 6.78 °C | +4.1% |
| 1949 | 6.97 °C | +2.7% |
| 1950 | 6.61 °C | -5.1% |
| 1951 | 6.42 °C | -3.0% |
| 1952 | 6.34 °C | -1.3% |
| 1953 | 6.91 °C | +9.1% |
| 1954 | 6.04 °C | -12.6% |
| 1955 | 6.18 °C | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 5.72 °C | -7.4% |
| 1957 | 5.63 °C | -1.6% |
| 1958 | 6.5 °C | +15.4% |
| 1959 | 6.46 °C | -0.6% |
| 1960 | 6.43 °C | -0.5% |
| 1961 | 6.48 °C | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 6.16 °C | -5.0% |
| 1963 | 6.44 °C | +4.6% |
| 1964 | 6.31 °C | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 6.18 °C | -2.2% |
| 1966 | 6.2 °C | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 5.76 °C | -7.0% |
| 1968 | 6.08 °C | +5.5% |
| 1969 | 5.98 °C | -1.7% |
| 1970 | 5.94 °C | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 6.19 °C | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 6.13 °C | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 6.5 °C | +6.0% |
| 1974 | 6.09 °C | -6.2% |
| 1975 | 6.56 °C | +7.7% |
| 1976 | 5.92 °C | -9.8% |
| 1977 | 6.13 °C | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 6.45 °C | +5.1% |
| 1979 | 6.43 °C | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 6.33 °C | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 6.36 °C | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 6.56 °C | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 6.27 °C | -4.5% |
| 1984 | 6.05 °C | -3.5% |
| 1985 | 6.11 °C | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 6.27 °C | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 6.76 °C | +7.7% |
| 1988 | 6.71 °C | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 6.59 °C | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 6.98 °C | +5.9% |
| 1991 | 6.67 °C | -4.4% |
| 1992 | 6.4 °C | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 6.54 °C | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 7.15 °C | +9.3% |
| 1995 | 6.81 °C | -4.8% |
| 1996 | 6.49 °C | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 6.83 °C | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 7.59 °C | +11.2% |
| 1999 | 7.43 °C | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 6.79 °C | -8.7% |
| 2001 | 7.18 °C | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 7.31 °C | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 7.11 °C | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 7.28 °C | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 6.94 °C | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 7.52 °C | +8.3% |
| 2007 | 7.72 °C | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 7.18 °C | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 7.4 °C | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 7.18 °C | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 6.91 °C | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 6.63 °C | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 7.39 °C | +11.4% |
| 2014 | 7.31 °C | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 7.66 °C | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 7.76 °C | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 7.77 °C | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 7.43 °C | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 7.57 °C | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 7.61 °C | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 7.82 °C | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 7.78 °C | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 7.97 °C | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 8.34 °C | +4.7% |
| 2025 | 8.21 °C | -1.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 8.21 °C is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23.03 °C, 36% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- China's 8.21 °C is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.82 °C, 33% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 6.6 °C | 6.03 °C | 7.11 °C | 10 |
| 1950s | 6.28 °C | 5.63 °C | 6.91 °C | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.2 °C | 5.76 °C | 6.48 °C | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.23 °C | 5.92 °C | 6.56 °C | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.4 °C | 6.05 °C | 6.76 °C | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.89 °C | 6.4 °C | 7.59 °C | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.24 °C | 6.79 °C | 7.72 °C | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.36 °C | 6.63 °C | 7.77 °C | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.96 °C | 7.61 °C | 8.34 °C | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual surface temperature in China?
- Average annual surface temperature in China was 8.21 °C in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average annual surface temperature recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 8.34 °C in 2024.
- What is the lowest average annual surface temperature recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.63 °C in 1957.
- How does China rank for average annual surface temperature?
- China ranks 174th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is average annual surface temperature rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average annual surface temperature. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Temperature of the air measured 2 meters above the ground, encompassing land, sea, and in-land water surfaces.