Total natural resource rents in China
China: Total natural resource rents was 1.7% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Total natural resource rents in China, 1970–2021
Source: The Changing Wealth of Nations, World Bank staff estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total natural resource rents in China is 1.7%, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of up 97.7% on the previous year and down 77.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total natural resource rents in China peaked at 19.7% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 1971.
China ranks 106th of 211 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total natural resource rents in China, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.8% | — |
| 1971 | 0.8% | -7.9% |
| 1972 | 0.9% | +15.7% |
| 1973 | 1.8% | +100.6% |
| 1974 | 5.0% | +178.5% |
| 1975 | 7.3% | +46.6% |
| 1976 | 9.2% | +25.8% |
| 1977 | 9.6% | +4.1% |
| 1978 | 11.2% | +16.7% |
| 1979 | 17.1% | +52.5% |
| 1980 | 19.7% | +15.4% |
| 1981 | 19.5% | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 16.8% | -14.0% |
| 1983 | 12.6% | -24.7% |
| 1984 | 10.4% | -17.6% |
| 1985 | 9.8% | -5.9% |
| 1986 | 5.8% | -41.2% |
| 1987 | 6.5% | +12.7% |
| 1988 | 6.3% | -3.2% |
| 1989 | 7.1% | +12.3% |
| 1990 | 8.6% | +22.4% |
| 1991 | 6.1% | -29.6% |
| 1992 | 5.3% | -12.2% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | -16.7% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | -26.3% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | -8.0% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | -20.4% |
| 1998 | 1.7% | -28.3% |
| 1999 | 1.8% | +7.6% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | +46.2% |
| 2001 | 2.6% | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | -24.5% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 4.7% | +134.1% |
| 2005 | 5.1% | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 5.5% | +8.2% |
| 2007 | 6.3% | +14.6% |
| 2008 | 9.6% | +52.5% |
| 2009 | 3.9% | -59.4% |
| 2010 | 6.3% | +60.5% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | +22.2% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | -46.8% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | -27.0% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -22.6% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | -49.1% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | -10.4% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | +24.9% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | +8.4% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | -11.1% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | -31.8% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | +97.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.8%, 93% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 1.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%, 2.4× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total natural resource rents in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +178.5% | 1.8% | 5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.4% | 0.8% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.4% | 5.8% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.0% | 1.7% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.5% | 2.0% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.0% | 1.1% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.3% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 2 |
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 total natural resource rents in China?
- Total natural resource rents in China was 1.7% in 2021, according to The Changing Wealth of Nations, World Bank staff estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total natural resource rents recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 19.7% in 1980.
- What is the lowest total natural resource rents recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 1971.
- How does China rank for total natural resource rents?
- China ranks 106th out of 211 countries with data for 2021.
- Is total natural resource rents rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 77.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from The Changing Wealth of Nations, World Bank staff estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total natural resource rents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Natural resources rents are estimated as the difference between the price of a commodity and the average cost of producing it. Total natural resources rents are the sum of oil rents, natural gas rents, coal rents, mineral rents, and forest rents.