China Provincial GDP Rankings 2024

Complete 2024 GDP Rankings: All 31 Provinces

The following table presents the GDP data for all 31 Chinese provincial-level administrative regions (22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, and 4 municipalities). Data is sourced from official provincial statistics bureaus.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China, Provincial Statistical Bulletins (January–February 2025). GDP figures are in nominal terms. Growth rates are real (inflation-adjusted).

Tier Analysis: Five Economic Tiers

Tier 1: The Economic Giants (Above 10 Trillion CNY)

Only two provinces have surpassed the 10-trillion-yuan threshold, yet they account for roughly 20.8% of China's total GDP:

• Guangdong (14.16T CNY) — China's economic leader for 36 consecutive years. Home to the Pearl River Delta, one of the world's most productive manufacturing hubs. Key cities include Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the latter being China's tech capital.
• Jiangsu (13.70T CNY) — The most rapidly closing challenger to Guangdong's top position. Jiangsu's GDP grew by 5.8% in 2024, adding 608 billion yuan—the largest absolute increase of any province. With 5 cities exceeding 1 trillion CNY each, Jiangsu boasts the most balanced regional development in China.

Tier 2: Major Economic Powers (5–10 Trillion CNY)

Nine provinces form this group, collectively representing about 48.7% of national GDP:

• Shandong (9.86T CNY) — China's industrial powerhouse, on the verge of becoming the first northern province to break the 10-trillion mark. Key city: Qingdao.
• Zhejiang (9.01T CNY) — A leader in private enterprise and digital economy, first surpassing 9 trillion yuan. Key cities: Hangzhou and Ningbo.
• Sichuan (6.47T CNY) — The economic engine of western China, surpassing Henan since 2023. Key city: Chengdu.
• Henan (6.36T CNY) — China's most populous province, a major agricultural and manufacturing center. Key city: Zhengzhou.
• Hubei (6.00T CNY) — Broke through the 6-trillion milestone, with strong growth of 5.8%. Key city: Wuhan.
• Fujian (5.78T CNY) — A coastal province with strong export-oriented manufacturing. Key city: Xiamen.
• Shanghai (5.39T CNY) — China's largest city by GDP and a global financial center, becoming the first city to exceed 5 trillion yuan.
• Hunan (5.32T CNY) — Central China's rising star. Key city: Changsha.
• Anhui (5.01T CNY) — First broke the 5-trillion mark, driven by booming new energy vehicle production.

Tier 3: Regional Anchors (3–5 Trillion CNY)

Seven provinces in this group serve as regional economic anchors:

• Beijing (4.98T CNY) — China's capital, just shy of 5 trillion, driven by technology and services sectors.
• Hebei (4.50T CNY) — Surrounds Beijing and Tianjin, benefiting from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integration strategy.
• Chongqing (3.22T CNY) — Southwest China's municipality, growing at a strong 5.7%.
• Shaanxi (3.45T CNY) — Northwest China's economic center. Key city: Xi'an.
• Jiangxi (3.43T CNY) — An inland province with growing manufacturing.
• Liaoning (3.19T CNY) — The strongest performer among the three northeastern provinces. Key city: Dalian.
• Yunnan (3.15T CNY) — Gateway to Southeast Asia. Key city: Kunming.

Tier 4: Emerging and Transitioning Economies (1–3 Trillion CNY)

Nine provinces in this range are working to accelerate growth:

• Guangxi (2.86T CNY) — Border trade hub with ASEAN countries.
• Inner Mongolia (2.63T CNY) — A major energy and mining region, growing at 5.8% in 2024, boosted by wind and solar power.
• Shanxi (2.55T CNY) — China's coal heartland, facing challenges with only 2.3% growth as it transitions away from fossil fuels.
• Guizhou (2.27T CNY) — Known for big data industry development.
• Xinjiang (2.15T CNY) — Achieved the second-highest growth rate (6.1%) nationwide.
• Tianjin (1.80T CNY) — Northern port city, the smallest among four municipalities.
• Heilongjiang (1.69T CNY) — Northeast China, with growth of only 3.2%.
• Jilin (1.50T CNY) — Also in the northeast, growing at 3.0%.
• Gansu (1.37T CNY) — Growing at 5.8%, driven by nonferrous metals and energy industries.

Tier 5: Smaller Economies (Below 1 Trillion CNY)

Four provinces remain below the 1-trillion threshold, largely due to geographic and demographic constraints:

• Hainan (0.79T CNY) — China's largest special economic zone and free trade port.
• Ningxia (0.57T CNY) — Growing at a solid 5.4% despite its small size.
• Qinghai (0.40T CNY) — Located on the Tibetan Plateau, with the lowest growth rate at 2.7%.
• Tibet (0.26T CNY) — The smallest economy, yet achieved the highest growth rate at 6.3%.

Growth Rate Analysis

Fastest-Growing Provinces

Twenty-one provinces exceeded the national average of 5.0%, with central and western regions showing particularly strong momentum:

Slowest-Growing Provinces

Resource-dependent regions and the northeast face structural challenges:

Notably, Shanxi was the only province with negative nominal GDP growth (-2.14%), as coal prices declined and the energy transition accelerated. Guangdong, despite being the largest economy, grew at only 3.5%, below the national average, reflecting the challenges of external demand weakness and property sector adjustment.

Regional Disparities

The North-South Divide

One of the most significant trends in China's economic geography is the growing north-south disparity. Among the top 10 provinces by GDP, only Shandong and Beijing are from northern China. The south (especially the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta) accounts for the majority of China's economic output.

The East-West Gap

While eastern coastal provinces remain dominant, western and central regions are catching up. In 2024, 8 of the 11 provinces with growth rates above 5.5% were from central or western China, including Tibet (6.3%), Xinjiang (6.1%), and Gansu (5.8%).

The Northeast Challenge

The three northeastern provinces continue to face difficulties. While Liaoning managed 5.1% growth, Jilin (3.0%) and Heilongjiang (3.2%) lagged behind. Population decline, industrial restructuring, and brain drain remain persistent challenges for the region.

GDP Concentration

The top 10 provinces account for approximately 60.8% of China's total GDP, while the top 4 (Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang) contribute 34.6%. This concentration underscores the outsized role that a handful of provinces play in the national economy.

Key Trends and Outlook

Jiangdu Gap Narrowing

The gap between China's top two economies is shrinking rapidly. In 2024, Jiangsu's GDP was only 4,626 billion yuan behind Guangdong, down from 7,541 billion yuan in 2023. If current trends continue, Jiangsu could potentially overtake Guangdong within the next few years, ending Guangdong's 36-year reign as China's economic leader.

New Energy and High-Tech Growth

Provinces with strong new energy and high-tech sectors outperformed. Inner Mongolia (5.8%) benefited from massive wind and solar investments. Anhui (5.8%) saw new energy vehicle production surge. These sectors are increasingly driving provincial growth differentials.

Urbanization and City-Level Dynamics

In 2024, China added one new trillion-yuan city: Tangshan in Hebei province, bringing the total to 27 cities with GDP exceeding 1 trillion CNY. Jiangsu leads with 5 such cities, followed by Guangdong with 4. The concentration of economic power in mega-cities continues to be a defining feature of China's economy.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Early indicators suggest that Shandong is poised to break the 10-trillion-yuan barrier in 2025, becoming the first northern province to reach this milestone. Beijing is also expected to cross 5 trillion yuan. The ongoing structural transition, combined with policy support for innovation and domestic consumption, will shape the next chapter of China's provincial economic landscape.

Data Notes

• Data Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China and Provincial Statistical Bureaus.
• Scope: 31 provincial-level administrative regions (22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities). Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are excluded.
• GDP Figures: Nominal GDP in Chinese yuan (CNY).
• Growth Rates: Real GDP growth rates (inflation-adjusted, constant prices).
• Publication Date: All 31 provinces released their 2024 GDP data between January and February 2025.
• Revisions: China routinely revises historical GDP data; figures shown are preliminary estimates as published by provincial authorities.