Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in China
China: Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita was 36.2% in 2011. ▲ Rising
Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in China, 1952–2011
Source: Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2011, share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in China stood at 36.2%. That is the highest value across all 60 years on record.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in China peaked at 36.2% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 1955.
That places China 36th out of 44 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 9.2% | — |
| 1953 | 9.0% | -2.2% |
| 1954 | 8.4% | -6.7% |
| 1955 | 8.3% | -1.2% |
| 1956 | 8.9% | +7.2% |
| 1957 | 9.9% | +11.2% |
| 1958 | 15.8% | +59.6% |
| 1959 | 18.0% | +13.9% |
| 1960 | 19.5% | +8.3% |
| 1961 | 12.6% | -35.4% |
| 1962 | 10.0% | -20.6% |
| 1963 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 10.1% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 9.9% | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 9.8% | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 9.9% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 9.4% | -5.1% |
| 1970 | 9.2% | -2.1% |
| 1971 | 9.2% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 9.4% | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 9.2% | -2.1% |
| 1974 | 9.4% | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 9.5% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 9.9% | +4.2% |
| 1977 | 10.9% | +10.1% |
| 1978 | 12.4% | +13.8% |
| 1979 | 12.9% | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 13.3% | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 13.9% | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 13.7% | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 14.5% | +5.8% |
| 1984 | 16.3% | +12.4% |
| 1985 | 17.0% | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 17.4% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 18.1% | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 18.6% | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 18.6% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 18.8% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 19.2% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 20.2% | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 21.6% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 23.4% | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 25.2% | +7.7% |
| 1996 | 26.4% | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 26.8% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 27.1% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 27.3% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 27.9% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 28.1% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 29.0% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 29.8% | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 31.1% | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 31.9% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 32.7% | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 32.9% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 33.7% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 34.6% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 35.1% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 36.2% | +3.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 36.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.4%, 60% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- China's 36.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 60.6%, 60% of the median. (9 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | +59.6% | 9.9% | 15.8% |
| 1961 | -35.4% | 19.5% | 12.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10.9% | 8.3% | 18.0% | 8 |
| 1960s | 11.1% | 9.4% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.2% | 9.2% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.1% | 13.3% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.6% | 18.8% | 27.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.2% | 27.9% | 34.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.7% | 35.1% | 36.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near China
More work & labour data for China
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.65 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.74 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.57 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.0615 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1.12 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 275,362 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 319,567 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 326,230 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 645,797 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in China?
- Share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in China was 36.2% in 2011, according to Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 36.2% in 2011.
- What is the lowest share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 1955.
- How does China rank for share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita?
- China ranks 36th out of 44 countries with data for 2011.
- Is share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The vertical axis shows historical estimates of the employment share in the service sector. The horizontal axis shows GDP per capita, adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.