List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP per capita

The article is about China's first-level administrative divisions by their gross domestic product per capita in main years. All figures are given in the national currency, renminbi (CNY) and in USD at nominal values. Purchasing power parity index changes frequently, and its relevant data is not included in the main table, only included at the end of the entry. Purchasing power parity reference comes from the World Economic Outlook published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The average CNY exchange rate used here is from China NBS, and CNY PPP exchange rates are estimated according to the IMF.

Unless otherwise specified, the GDP per capita here is based on the annual average population. The annual average population or mid-year population is the average of the resident population at the end of the two consecutive years.

Since the implementation of reform and opening up in mainland China in 1978, its economy has developed rapidly. In 1995, the GDP per capita of Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai reached more than 1,000 US dollars; by 2000, there were 10 provinces with GDP per capita exceeding 1,000 US dollars, of which Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai exceeded 2,000 US dollars. Per capita GDP exceeded US$10,000 for the first time in Beijing (US$10,402) and Shanghai (US$10,593) in 2009. Mainland China's per capita GDP (US$10,158) exceeded US$10,000 for the first time in the year of 2019, and 11 provinces including Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Fujian, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Hubei, Chongqing, Inner Mongolia and Shandong had per capita GDP exceeding US$10,000, among which the per capita GDP in Beijing and Shanghai overtook US$20,000 in the year. By 2022, only Gansu Province had per capita GDP of US$6,638, while the others all were above US$7,500.

Apart from the national capital of Beijing and the financial capital of Shanghai, coastal provinces lead the per capita GDP rankings within China, as these coastal provinces are most heavily exposed to export-oriented industrialization. The seaports present within the coastal provinces enable the provinces' greater exposure to international trade and allow both local and foreign companies, which are recipients of foreign direct investment into China, to export goods and reach global markets faster.^[1]

For comparison purposes, this article also displays the GDPs of the special administrative regions (SARs) of Hong Kong and Macau, which maintain separate economic systems and currencies. Likewise, GDP indicators for the two Special Administrative Regions are presented in local currency, in U.S. dollars and at purchasing power parity. The purchasing power parity reference source is also the IMF.