How have things changed? in China
China: How have things changed? was 95.21 million metric tons in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
95.21 million metric tons
Change on year
up 4.0%
World rank
1st
of 215 countries
All-time high
95.21 million metric tons
in 2024
All-time low
3.69 million metric tons
in 1965
Years of data
60
1965–2024
How have things changed? in China, 1965–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in metric tons.
Analysis
China recorded 95.21 million metric tons for how have things changed? in 2024. That is the highest value across all 60 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.0% on the previous year and up 29.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, how have things changed? in China peaked at 95.21 million metric tons in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.69 million metric tons, in 1965.
That places China 1st out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
How have things changed? in China, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 3.69 million metric tons | — |
| 1966 | 3.83 million metric tons | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 3.83 million metric tons | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 3.93 million metric tons | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 4.07 million metric tons | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 3.97 million metric tons | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 4.49 million metric tons | +13.2% |
| 1972 | 5.00 million metric tons | +11.2% |
| 1973 | 4.92 million metric tons | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 5.36 million metric tons | +8.9% |
| 1975 | 5.65 million metric tons | +5.5% |
| 1976 | 5.70 million metric tons | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 6.41 million metric tons | +12.4% |
| 1978 | 6.44 million metric tons | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 5.97 million metric tons | -7.2% |
| 1980 | 6.25 million metric tons | +4.7% |
| 1981 | 6.17 million metric tons | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 6.77 million metric tons | +9.6% |
| 1983 | 7.33 million metric tons | +8.3% |
| 1984 | 8.21 million metric tons | +12.1% |
| 1985 | 9.24 million metric tons | +12.5% |
| 1986 | 10.42 million metric tons | +12.8% |
| 1987 | 11.73 million metric tons | +12.6% |
| 1988 | 13.19 million metric tons | +12.4% |
| 1989 | 14.33 million metric tons | +8.6% |
| 1990 | 15.11 million metric tons | +5.5% |
| 1991 | 17.15 million metric tons | +13.5% |
| 1992 | 20.61 million metric tons | +20.2% |
| 1993 | 24.70 million metric tons | +19.8% |
| 1994 | 29.23 million metric tons | +18.4% |
| 1995 | 33.87 million metric tons | +15.9% |
| 1996 | 37.80 million metric tons | +11.6% |
| 1997 | 38.47 million metric tons | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 41.14 million metric tons | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 43.21 million metric tons | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 44.57 million metric tons | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 45.51 million metric tons | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 47.59 million metric tons | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 49.49 million metric tons | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 51.96 million metric tons | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 53.79 million metric tons | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 55.91 million metric tons | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 57.52 million metric tons | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 59.23 million metric tons | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 61.13 million metric tons | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 62.84 million metric tons | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 64.41 million metric tons | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 67.53 million metric tons | +4.8% |
| 2013 | 70.66 million metric tons | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 73.68 million metric tons | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 76.02 million metric tons | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 78.34 million metric tons | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 79.94 million metric tons | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 80.97 million metric tons | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 82.59 million metric tons | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 83.93 million metric tons | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 85.95 million metric tons | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 88.61 million metric tons | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 91.54 million metric tons | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 95.21 million metric tons | +4.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 95.21 million metric tons is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 39,945 metric tons, 2383.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 95.21 million metric tons is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96,821 metric tons, 983.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.87 million metric tons | 3.69 million metric tons | 4.07 million metric tons | 5 |
| 1970s | 5.39 million metric tons | 3.97 million metric tons | 6.44 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.36 million metric tons | 6.17 million metric tons | 14.33 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.13 million metric tons | 15.11 million metric tons | 43.21 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.67 million metric tons | 44.57 million metric tons | 61.13 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.70 million metric tons | 62.84 million metric tons | 82.59 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.05 million metric tons | 83.93 million metric tons | 95.21 million metric tons | 5 |
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 how have things changed? in China?
- How have things changed? in China was 95.21 million metric tons in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest how have things changed? recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 95.21 million metric tons in 2024.
- What is the lowest how have things changed? recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.69 million metric tons in 1965.
- How does China rank for how have things changed??
- China ranks 1st out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is how have things changed? rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of How have things changed?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Change captured by a range of socioeconomic and environmental indicators, measured relative to the first year.