Argentina and China Economies: A Side-by-Side Table Comparison

In comparing Argentina and China, key differences emerge: China’s population is over 30 times larger, and its land area is about 3.4 times greater. Economically, Argentina’s GDP is nearly 29 times smaller, yet its GDP per capita is slightly higher. China outspends Argentina on military by 95 times, while Argentina faces greater income inequality.

Basic Indicators

Indicator	Argentina	China	Comparison
Population source (2022 data), updated 2024	46.23 million (32nd)	1412.18 million (2nd)	China’s population is approximately 30.5 times larger than Argentina’s.
Surface area (sq. km) source (2022 data), updated 2024	2.78 million sq. km (8th)	9.56 million sq. km (4th)	China is 3.44 times larger than Argentina in area.
GDP source (2022 data), updated 2024	631.13B USD (22nd)	17,963.17B USD (2nd)	Argentina’s total GDP is approximately 28.5 times smaller than China’s.
GDP per capita source (2022 data), updated 2024	$13,651 (64th)	12,720 USD (67th)	Argentina’s GDP per capita is roughly 3.4% higher than China’s, with Argentinians producing about $430.39 more per person annually.

Economic Indexes

Index	Argentina	China	Comparison
HDI (Human Development Index) source (2022 data), updated 2024	0.849 (48th)	0.788 (71st)	Argentina’s HDI is 0.849 (high), while China’s is 0.788 (high). Argentina’s score is 0.061 higher, indicating a slight advantage in human development overall.
Index of Economic Freedom source (2024 data)	49.9 (132nd)	48.5 (138th)	Argentina’s Index of Economic Freedom is 2.9% higher than China’s, 1.4 points more.
GINI source (2022 data), updated 2024	42 (2021 est.)	37.1 (2020 est.)	With a 13% higher Gini coefficient, Argentina has a higher degree of income inequality than China.

International trade _{source(2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	China
Total imports	92.57B USD	3.13T
Imports % of GDP	15.35%	17.47%
Main import partners	China 21%, Brazil 20%, US 14%, Germany 3%, Paraguay 2%	US 7%, South Korea 7%, Japan 6%, Australia 6%, China 6%
Main import items	refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, fertilizers, cars	crude petroleum, integrated circuits, iron ore, natural gas, gold
Total exports	83.36B USD	3.51T
Exports % of GDP	16.30%	20.68%
Main export Partners	Brazil 15%, China 9%, US 8%, Chile 6%, India 5%	US 15%, Hong Kong 7%, Japan 5%, Germany 4%, South Korea 4%
Main export items	soybean meal, corn, soybean oil, wheat, trucks	broadcasting equipment, integrated circuits, computers, garments, machine parts

Argentina’s imports are about 30 times less than China’s, and Argentina’s imports make up 12% less of its GDP than China’s. Argentina’s exports are much smaller at $83.36B, focusing on basic goods, while China’s $3.51T exports are more advanced tech products.

Military Power _{source (2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	China
Military expenditure	3.1B USD	296.4B USD
Military expenditure (% of GDP)	0.41%	1.60%
Active military	72k	2.03M
Active military per 1,000 capita	2.3	2.1

China’s military expenditure is approximately 95 times larger than Argentina’s at $296.4 billion, and it allocates a significantly higher percentage of its GDP to defense at 1.60%, compared to Argentina’s 0.41%.