Number of poultry birds in China
China: Number of poultry birds was 6.41 billion animals in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
6.41 billion animals
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
1st
of 199 countries
All-time high
6.41 billion animals
in 2024
All-time low
641.00 million animals
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Number of poultry birds in China, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
In 2024, number of poultry birds in China stood at 6.41 billion animals. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of poultry birds in China peaked at 6.41 billion animals in 2024 and was at its lowest, 641.00 million animals, in 1961.
China ranks 1st of 199 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of poultry birds in China, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 641.00 million animals | — |
| 1962 | 658.00 million animals | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 681.00 million animals | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 704.00 million animals | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 712.00 million animals | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 723.00 million animals | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 736.00 million animals | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 749.00 million animals | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 764.00 million animals | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 778.00 million animals | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 795.00 million animals | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 823.00 million animals | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 838.00 million animals | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 869.00 million animals | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 878.00 million animals | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 931.00 million animals | +6.0% |
| 1977 | 949.00 million animals | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 993.00 million animals | +4.6% |
| 1979 | 1.02 billion animals | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 1.11 billion animals | +8.1% |
| 1981 | 1.16 billion animals | +4.6% |
| 1982 | 1.22 billion animals | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 1.31 billion animals | +7.0% |
| 1984 | 1.37 billion animals | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 1.47 billion animals | +7.2% |
| 1986 | 1.67 billion animals | +13.8% |
| 1987 | 1.92 billion animals | +14.6% |
| 1988 | 2.14 billion animals | +11.6% |
| 1989 | 2.28 billion animals | +6.5% |
| 1990 | 2.42 billion animals | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 2.67 billion animals | +10.5% |
| 1992 | 2.87 billion animals | +7.4% |
| 1993 | 3.19 billion animals | +11.1% |
| 1994 | 3.54 billion animals | +11.0% |
| 1995 | 3.74 billion animals | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 4.11 billion animals | +9.9% |
| 1997 | 4.72 billion animals | +14.8% |
| 1998 | 3.68 billion animals | -22.1% |
| 1999 | 4.04 billion animals | +9.7% |
| 2000 | 4.30 billion animals | +6.6% |
| 2001 | 4.48 billion animals | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 4.89 billion animals | +9.1% |
| 2003 | 4.74 billion animals | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 5.06 billion animals | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 5.33 billion animals | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 5.37 billion animals | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 5.52 billion animals | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 5.96 billion animals | +7.9% |
| 2009 | 6.17 billion animals | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 6.31 billion animals | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 5.55 billion animals | -12.0% |
| 2012 | 5.80 billion animals | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 5.71 billion animals | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 5.47 billion animals | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 5.66 billion animals | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 5.88 billion animals | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 6.06 billion animals | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 6.16 billion animals | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 6.22 billion animals | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 6.27 billion animals | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 6.31 billion animals | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 6.32 billion animals | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 6.37 billion animals | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 6.41 billion animals | +0.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 6.41 billion animals is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 20.54 million animals, 312.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 6.41 billion animals is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.59 million animals, 746.1× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 707.56 million animals | 641.00 million animals | 764.00 million animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 887.70 million animals | 778.00 million animals | 1.02 billion animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.56 billion animals | 1.11 billion animals | 2.28 billion animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.50 billion animals | 2.42 billion animals | 4.72 billion animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.18 billion animals | 4.30 billion animals | 6.17 billion animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.88 billion animals | 5.47 billion animals | 6.31 billion animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.34 billion animals | 6.27 billion animals | 6.41 billion animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of poultry birds in China?
- Number of poultry birds in China was 6.41 billion animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of poultry birds recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 6.41 billion animals in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of poultry birds recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 641.00 million animals in 1961.
- How does China rank for number of poultry birds?
- China ranks 1st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of poultry birds rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.1%. 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 (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of poultry birds. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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